Ghana’s Black Satellites have touched down in Ismailia as they prepare for a decisive final Group C encounter against the Central African Republic (CAR) in the ongoing 2025 Africa U-20 Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Egypt.

The high-stakes match is scheduled for Thursday, May 8, at the Suez Canal Stadium, with kick-off set for 15:00 GMT.

The Black Satellites come into the clash brimming with confidence after a hard-fought 1-0 victory over defending champions Senegal on Monday.

That win, coupled with a 1-1 draw in their tournament opener against DR Congo, places Ghana joint-top of Group C alongside the Congolese — both teams tied on four points.

Neil Armstrong-Mortagbe, Head of Public Relations and Strategy at the Ghana Football Association, confirmed the team’s arrival and expressed optimism ahead of the crucial fixture.

“We have arrived in Ismailia for our final group match against the Central African Republic,” he told Asempa FM’s Ultimate Sports Show. “Our goal is to progress to the next round.

With the momentum from our win over Senegal, I’m confident the team will get the job done on Thursday.”

A win over CAR would secure Ghana’s passage to the knockout stage of the tournament and keep alive hopes of clinching a record-extending fourth U-20 AFCON title.

More importantly, it would also inch the team closer to qualifying for the 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile.

The Black Satellites are scheduled to hold intensive training sessions on Tuesday evening and Wednesday as head coach Desmond Ofei fine-tunes tactics ahead of the must-win encounter.