Ibrahim Tanko, the head coach of Ghana’s U23 team, has expressed confidence in his team’s preparedness for a crucial Group A match against Guinea on Friday in the ongoing TotalEnergies CAF U23 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2023.
As the match takes place at the Grand Stade of Tangier, Guinea only needs a draw to secure a spot in the semi-final stage, while Ghana must collect maximum points.
Tanko made it clear that his players are fully committed to the task of winning the match. “We understand that we must emerge victorious to qualify for the semi-finals,” stated the coach.
Tanko revealed that all the players have recovered well and are determined to give their best on the pitch. “We have bounced back from the defeat against Egypt and are now focused on securing a victory,” added Tanko.
Having had the opportunity to observe two of Guinea’s matches, Tanko explained that they now have a better understanding of the team’s strengths and weaknesses.
The coach acknowledged the possibility of making changes to the starting lineup to better counter the Guinea team and secure three points for qualification to the semi-finals. “Our primary objective is to qualify for the Olympics,” emphasized Tanko.
Ghana began their campaign with a 3-2 victory against Congo Brazzaville but suffered a 5-1 defeat to hosts Morocco a few days ago.
Edmund Arko-Mensah, the defender who plays for FC Nonka in Finland, emphasized that the team is highly motivated and determined to secure a win against Guinea.
“The people back in Ghana should have faith in us and support us because we will deliver,” added Arko-Mensah.