Black Satellites head coach Maxwell Konadu says his team is fully motivated to secure victory against arch-rivals Nigeria in their opening match of the 2026 WAFU B U-20 Championship.

Ghana will face the defending champions at the Lycée Scientifique Stadium in Yamoussoukro, Côte d’Ivoire, today, with both sides eager to make a strong start to the regional competition.

Although Konadu admitted that his technical team has had limited opportunities to study Nigeria ahead of the encounter, he expressed confidence in his players’ ability to rise to the challenge and represent Ghana with pride.

“We haven’t seen their team yet, but we believe we have the boys who can go out there and defend the flag of Ghana,” he said.

The former Asante Kotoko coach believes the historic rivalry between Ghana and Nigeria will provide extra motivation for both teams, with national pride expected to play a key role in the highly anticipated fixture.

“We’re motivated because it’s Nigeria, and they will also be motivated because they are playing Ghana. Matches between these two nations—we all know what they mean. I think the best team will carry the day,” Konadu added.

He acknowledged Nigeria’s physical and aggressive approach but revealed that Ghana will rely on tactical discipline and intelligent ball movement to counter their opponents.

“Nigeria has always been aggressive, which we’re aware of. Let’s see how our boys respond to that. Maybe we have to circulate the ball a bit. We’ll try to think before they act, and I think that will be one of the key areas we have to exploit,” he explained.

Konadu also highlighted the significance of the match, stressing that Ghana must work harder to overcome a Nigerian side that enters the tournament as champions.

“We know Nigeria are the defending champions and we have to work even harder to dethrone them,” he stated.

The Black Satellites are drawn in Group B alongside Nigeria, Burkina Faso and Togo as they aim to progress to the knockout stages and compete for the WAFU B U-20 Championship trophy.

The tournament also serves as the qualifying pathway for the 2027 CAF U-20 Africa Cup of Nations, which will be hosted by Ghana.