Desmond Offei 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 outcome was not surprising.

Ghana's group stage matches showed similar issues. The defense lacked coordination and leadership.

Captain Ofori McCarthy raised questions about defensive leadership. He contributed to two soft goals against Egypt.

Teammate Aaron Essel also struggled, getting sent off for a foul.

Egypt did not appear cohesive either. However, their attacks exposed Ghana’s disorganized defense.

When Ghana had possession, there was a gap between midfield and attack. Essel and McCarthy often resorted to long balls, hoping for success.

Abdul Azziz Issah and Lord Afrifa chased these balls but struggled. Eventually, they dropped deeper into their half to receive passes.

Azziz looked to the bench for guidance but saw no changes. Ghana's first shot on goal came in the 35th minute from a free kick by Issah.

Issah's attempt went far off target after he tried to communicate with teammates. His effort reflected Ghana's poor coaching throughout the tournament.

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

He dribbled past defenders and took a powerful shot that challenged Egypt’s goalkeeper Moniem. Azziz earned credit for his effort despite the keeper’s possible error.

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

Questions arose about why Sulemana wasn’t among the first five penalty takers during the shootout. These concerns 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 tactics. However, there are no signs his job is at risk; he deserves more time.

Offei must recognize that his previous credit has diminished after this week’s performance. He leaves Egypt with more doubts than ever before.