U-20 AFCON 2025: Joseph Opoku scores winner as Black Satellites finish top of Group C

The Black Satellites ended their group stage at the U-20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) with a late win over the Central African Republic.

Joseph Opoku, who plays in Belgium, scored the winning goal. He came off the bench and found the net in the 82nd minute. This victory gave Desmond Ofei's team their second win in the tournament.

Ghana entered this match after a draw against DR Congo and a 1-0 win over Senegal. They aimed to keep their unbeaten record intact.

In contrast, Central African Republic drew their first game against Senegal but lost to DR Congo in their second match.

Ghana had many chances to score early on. Most opportunities fell to Abdul Aziz Issah, but he could not convert them. The teams went into halftime with no goals scored.

After halftime, the Black Satellites continued to dominate play. They threatened several times but still could not find the back of the net.

Finally, in the 82nd minute, there was a breakthrough. Opoku received a long pass from Ishamel Addo just minutes after entering the game. He beat his defenders and struck a low shot past the CAR goalkeeper for a 1-0 lead.

Ghana defended well and secured all three points from this match. With this win, they topped Group C with seven points.

Ofei's team has now qualified for the quarter-finals. They will face one of the third-placed teams from Group A or B.

This result puts Ghana one win away from returning to the global stage at U-20 level.