Desmond Ofei leaves Egypt with more questions than credit as Ghana exit U-20 AFCON

Ghana lost to Egypt in the CAF U-20 Championships semi-finals. This result was not surprising.

Ghana's group stage matches showed similar issues. The defense lacked coordination and leadership. Captain Ofori McCarthy raised concerns with his performance. He gave away two easy goals to Egypt.

Teammate Aaron Essel also struggled, getting sent off after a foul. It was odd because Egypt seemed disorganized too. Yet, every time they attacked, Ghana’s defense faltered.

When Ghana had possession, there was a gap between midfield and attack. Essel and McCarthy often sent long balls into wide areas. They hoped Abdul Azziz Issah and Lord Afrifa would chase them down.

Eventually, Afrifa started dropping deep for the ball. Aziz looked to the bench for guidance but saw no changes in strategy.

Ghana's first shot on goal came in the 35th minute. Abdul Aziz Issah missed a free kick from far away. His attempt summed up Ghana's poor performance.

Issah tried to communicate with teammates before his shot but failed. In short, Ghana appeared poorly coached throughout the tournament.

Substitute Abdul Sulemana made an impressive run into the Egyptian box. Despite tactical issues, Azziz Issah created a moment of magic just before halftime.

He dribbled past defenders and took a powerful shot that tested Egypt’s goalkeeper Moniem. The keeper could have done better, but Azziz deserved credit for his effort.

The second half showed more fight from Ghana as they sought to avoid defeat. Abdul Sulemana scored a stoppage-time penalty to push the game into extra time.

Questions arose about why Sulemana wasn’t among the first five penalty takers during the shootout. These questions are minor compared to those he may face from the Ghana Football Association.

The manager appointed in September 2023 has had enough time to improve this team’s tactics. However, there are no signs that his job is at risk; he deserves more time.

For his own sake, Offei must recognize that he has lost credibility after this week’s performance in Egypt. He leaves with more doubts than ever before.