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The Black Stars of Ghana’s chances of qualifying for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) took a major hit after a 2-0 defeat to Sudan on Tuesday. The match, held at the Martyrs of February Stadium in Libya, marked a critical moment for the four-time African champions, who needed a win to stay in contention for a spot in the tournament.
Ghana entered the game under pressure, having drawn two games and lost one in the qualifiers. Coach Otto Addo made one change to the starting lineup, bringing in Inaki Williams for Jordan Ayew. Despite a bright start from the Black Stars, Sudan’s defense remained solid, frustrating Ghana’s attempts to take the lead.
The game saw early action, with Kwesi Appiah’s effort in the 7th minute saved by Ghana’s goalkeeper, Ati Zigi. However, Sudan quickly countered, and Ati Zigi was called upon again to deny Abubakar Mohamed’s curling shot in the 14th minute. Despite several close calls, both teams went into halftime with the score locked at 0-0.
The second half brought more urgency from the Black Stars, but they struggled to break through Sudan’s defense. A disallowed goal from Inaki Williams and further missed chances highlighted Ghana’s attacking woes. Coach Addo made several substitutions in an effort to shift the momentum, but Sudan’s defense held strong.
Sudan eventually broke the deadlock in the 62nd minute when Mahmoud Mohamed capitalized on a defensive error by Mohammed Salisu. Four minutes later, Mohammed Abdel-Rahman doubled Sudan’s lead, putting the game beyond Ghana’s reach.
Despite late substitutions and attempts to regain control, Ghana could not mount a comeback. Sudan nearly scored a third goal in the 71st minute, but the match ended 2-0 in favor of the Falcons.
The defeat leaves Ghana in third place in their qualification group with just two points from four games. The Black Stars now face an uphill battle to qualify for AFCON 2025, needing victories in their remaining matches against Niger and Angola in November while hoping Sudan drops points in their remaining fixtures.
With the tournament set to be hosted in Morocco, the pressure is on for Ghana to turn their fortunes around in the remaining qualifiers.
