Kwasi Appiah's Sudan ends Ghana's hopes of featuring at 2025 AFCON

Ghana's Black Stars suffered a disappointing 2-0 loss to Sudan in their fourth match of the ongoing 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers on Tuesday afternoon at the Martyrs of February Stadium in Libya.

Despite dominating possession for much of the first half, Ghana struggled to create meaningful opportunities in attack.

Sudan, on the other hand, posed a constant threat on the counterattack and came close to breaking the deadlock when a forward, with goalkeeper Lawrence Ati-Zigi beaten, tapped the ball wide in what should have been an easy finish.

Ghana’s best chance came when Gideon Mensah delivered a superb cross from the left, but miscommunication between Iñaki Williams and Ernest Nuamah saw the opportunity squandered.

The first half ended goalless, with Sudan feeling they had missed a chance to punish the Black Stars.

However, Sudan didn’t have to wait long after the break. In the 62nd minute, Mahmoud Ahmed pounced on a defensive error to give Sudan the lead.

Three minutes later, Sudan doubled their advantage when Abdel Rahman latched onto a long pass, easily bypassing the Ghanaian defense to slot home.

Ghana’s defensive frailties were laid bare as Sudan ruthlessly capitalized on lapses at the back, with Gideon Mensah failing to clear a rebound for Sudan’s first goal and the entire backline exposed for the second.

The 2-0 loss leaves Ghana’s chances of qualifying for the 2025 AFCON in serious jeopardy.

With Sudan now in a strong position, and Ghana requiring a dramatic turnaround in their remaining matches, the Black Stars are on the brink of missing the tournament for the first time since 2004.

Sudan’s victory significantly boosts their hopes of qualifying for Morocco, leaving Ghana with an uphill battle in their remaining fixtures against Angola and Niger.