Head coach of Black Satellites, Karim Zito
Head coach of Ghana’s U-20 side, Karim Zito believes his team still has what it takes to win the 2021 Total CAF U-20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament despite losing 2-1 to Gambia in the final group game.
The Black Satellites lost the game despite going up by a goal courtesy of a strike by Abdul Fatawu Issahaku in the 10th minute. However, goals from Kejally Drammeh and Lamarana Jallow in the 15th and 35th minutes ensured Gambia's place in the next round of the competition without a doubt.
Speaking after the game, Coach Zito expressed his disappointment in his side's defeat to the Gambians.
According to him, the team can still make a meaningful impact in the tournament if they keep an eye on the trophy.
“We didn’t have what we wanted but qualification is the key, we are going back to the drawing board, all that we did wrong we will do the amendments,” Karim Zito said in the post-match interview.
He added, “If we have to make any meaningful impact in this tournament, it means we have to work hard within these two days to face whoever we come up against.”
“We coming third doesn’t mean we can’t win the cup. We didn’t have it right here, but the objective is still there, we’ve not lost hope. I’m happy we’ve qualified. Sometimes you will want to lose to meet someone but this is not my will. We were beaten by a good side.”
The Black Satellites next game will be against the Young Indomitable Lions of Cameroon in the quarter-finals stage on Thursday, 25 February 2021 at 17:00GMT.
The Cameroonian side who have the son of Samuel Eto’o in their team is undefeated after winning all three games in the group stages.
