Black Satellites defeated Young Squirrels of Benin 3:1 in the first leg
Ghana midfielder Samuel Atta Mensah is anticipating a tough clash when they play away to Benin in the 2019 Africa Under-20 Cup of Nations qualifying this weekend.
The Black Satellites are set to face the Young Squirrels in a third round second leg fixture, having come from behind to register a 3-1 win in the home game on Saturday.
An aggregate victory will confirm Ghana's return to the championship after missing out on the previous gathering in Zambia last year.
"They [Benin] are strong, tough and quick,” Wa All Stars midfielder Atta Mensah told Kickgh.
“We have to use our heads and try to keep the ball in the next encounter.
"They wouldn’t like it when we dictate the pace [and that was seen] in the second-half of the first leg.
"They prefer to play a physical game and attack using the flanks, so the key for us will be to stay patient, defend the ball at our feet and not to be sucked into the kind of game they want to play.
"I strongly believe we will edge past them and qualify for the African championship.”
Ghana dispatched Algeria 2-0 on aggregate to make the third and final round, having drawn a bye in the first phase.
After gaining automatic passage to the second round of qualifying following the withdrawal of Liberia, Benin, on the other hand, edged Gambia 3-2 on aggregate to make the third phase.
The winners over both legs join seven already qualified teams for the final tournament to be hosted by Niger.
