Ghana U-20 head coach Maxwell Konadu says the Black Satellites are fully prepared, both mentally and physically, for their crucial Group B encounter against Burkina Faso at the ongoing 2026 WAFU B U-20 Championship.

The Black Satellites will face Burkina Faso on Thursday at the Charles Konan Banny Stadium in Yamoussoukro, Côte d’Ivoire, hoping to revive their campaign after suffering a 4-2 defeat to Nigeria in their opening game on Monday.

Speaking ahead of the match on Wednesday, Konadu said the technical team has worked to restore the players’ confidence and help them move on from the disappointing result against Nigeria.

“We have prepared the boys psychologically and physically for tomorrow’s encounter. What happened on Monday, we have kept that behind us. It’s past and gone. There is nothing we can do about it. The assignment ahead of us is important and crucial for all of us,” he said.

The former Asante Kotoko coach revealed that the team’s preparations have focused on improving their strengths, particularly in the wide areas, while strengthening their defensive organisation.

“We told the boys to keep more circulation to our advantage where we are strong, especially in the wide areas. We need to exploit those areas very well,” he added.

Konadu admitted that some players were affected by nerves during the defeat to Nigeria, explaining that several members of the squad were experiencing the tournament for the first time.

“We spoke about how to defend very well, especially under intense pressure. Most of the boys are new to this tournament, so some were a bit jittery. The players have recovered and are ready to face Burkina tomorrow,” he said.

The experienced coach acknowledged Burkina Faso’s quality but expressed confidence that Ghana can exploit their weaknesses while containing their attacking threat.

“They progress the ball well, and they have some quality in their team, but so do we. It’s about not allowing them to have their way deep in midfield. We know they are not as strong in the wide areas, and we have to be cautious of their two attacking forwards,” he said.

Konadu added that although Burkina Faso are expected to provide a physical challenge, the Black Satellites are mentally prepared for the contest.

“They have quality, there is no doubt about it, and they play with so much aggression, which we are aware of. But we have prepared the boys psychologically and tomorrow will be a completely different ball game,” he added.

The match kicks off at 18:00 GMT, with Ghana needing a victory to boost their chances of progressing to the knockout stage.