Ghana is determined to secure their first win in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers as they prepare to face Sudan at the Accra Sports Stadium on Thursday, October 10. With a 6 p.m. CAT (SA, GMT+2) kickoff, the Black Stars are in desperate need of three points to revive their qualifying campaign.
The West African giants have struggled in their opening fixtures in Group F, managing only a single point from two games.
Their campaign began with a disappointing 1-0 home defeat to Angola in Kumasi on September 5, followed by a 1-1 draw against Niger in Berkane just four days later.
As a result, Ghana finds itself five points behind group leaders Angola, sitting in third place.
The upcoming doubleheader against Sudan is crucial for Otto Addo’s side, who must close the gap on the top two to keep their AFCON hopes alive.
Adding to the narrative is the presence of a familiar figure on the opposing side—Kwesi Appiah, the current Sudan head coach. Appiah, a former Ghana national team manager, led the Black Stars during two separate spells, including their 2014 World Cup campaign.
His intimate knowledge of the Ghanaian squad could pose an additional challenge as Sudan looks to build on their solid start to the qualifiers.
Sudan, nicknamed the Falcons of Jediane, opened their qualifying campaign with a 1-0 victory over Niger in Juba on September 4.
Although they narrowly lost 2-1 to Angola in their second match in Talatona, they currently sit second in Group F with three points, two ahead of Ghana.
A positive result for the Sudanese could further strengthen their position in the race for qualification, as they remain three points behind leaders Angola.
The two teams share a competitive history, most recently facing off during the AFCON 2021 qualifiers.
On that occasion, Ghana won 2-0 at home in Cape Coast on November 12, 2020, but Sudan exacted revenge just six days later with a 1-0 victory in Omdurman.
Both sides will be looking to assert their dominance once again in what is shaping up to be a high-stakes encounter.
For Ghana, the pressure is mounting.
Otto Addo’s men have a lot of ground to cover in their bid to qualify for the tournament in Morocco.
The Black Stars must rediscover their winning form to keep their qualification campaign on track and avoid falling further behind in Group F.
With home advantage, Ghana will be looking to put their recent struggles behind them and take all three points against a confident Sudanese side.
