Their preparations have been flying quite under the radar but Ghana’s U-20 Men’s football team are currently in Senegal getting ready to take on the rest of the continent.

The Black Satellites have had a stunning record in recent years, and would be hoping to keep that run intact at these championships. To that end, it helps that they have one of the most decorated youth level coaches in the world.

Sellas Tetteh is that man, having led the side to African and World Cup glory in 2009. After a brief hiatus, he returned to lead the same side to the world cup semi finals in 2013, having earlier finished 2nd at the 2013 African championships. Having made the final in both appearances, he would be expected to take the team at least that far this time around as well.

The Black Satellites qualified with a comfortable 4-1 aggregate win over Gabon last August, sealing their place at this tourney. The team was domiciled in Turkey for the past fortnight, getting ready for an onslaught on the tournament they haven’t won since 2009.

For this tournament, they have been placed in Group B with South Africa, Mali, and Zambia. Group A contains the hosts-Senegal, Nigeria, Congo, and Cote d’Ivoire.

Ghana does not have as talented a side as we did with the Dede Ayew led 2009 squad, or even those of 2013; but they have a great coach who can make the whole greater than the sum of its parts. They also have Clifford Aboagye, the 3rd best player at the last world cup who, having just turned 20- is still eligible to play.

Ghana opens her account against South Africa on Monday, March 9. The tournament kicks off tomorrow and runs till the grand finale on the 22nd of March. The four semi-finalists would qualify for the World Youth Championships, slated for May 30-June 20 in New Zealand.