Ghana will face Sudan in a critical 2025 AFCON qualifying match. The Black Stars seek their first victory after a disappointing start, needing points to advance in the campaign. Sudan, while having recently lost, looks to bounce back and secure a favorable result against Ghana.
Ghana is set to host Sudan at the Accra Sports Stadium for a pivotal encounter in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying tournament on Thursday evening. The Black Stars are keen to secure their first victory in the current qualifying campaign, particularly after a shaky start, while the Sudanese team seeks to recover from a recent defeat. The Black Stars, following an unexpected 1-0 loss to Angola, saw their historic 24-year unbeaten streak at Kumasi’s Baba Yara Sports Stadium come to an end. This was compounded by a disappointing 1-1 draw against Niger, where Ghana failed to capitalize on a first-half lead. Currently, Ghana sits third in Group F with just one point and faces an urgent need to perform well in the upcoming matches against Sudan, as they only have two qualifying games left. Since their last absence from the AFCON in 2004, Ghana has successfully qualified for the tournament over the last ten editions, making the potential failure to qualify this time a severe setback for the national team. Conversely, Ghana has a strong historical advantage over Sudan at home, having won four of their five previous encounters, with one draw. For Sudan, the journey has been a mixed bag; they started their campaign positively with a 1-0 victory over Niger but then fell to a 2-1 defeat against Angola, ending a four-match unbeaten streak in competitive fixtures. Currently, they hold second place in Group F with three points and are looking to improve on their previous performances, especially given their recent successes away from home. Both teams are facing challenges with player availability. Ghana has seen injuries impact their squad, with notable withdrawals including Thomas Partey and Joseph Paintsil. As a result, replacements Abu Francis, Jonas Adjei Adjetey, Michael Baidoo, and Ibrahim Sadick have been called up. On the Sudanese side, Eid Moghaddam and Ahmed Peter, who have experience in the team, return for this crucial match.
This upcoming match between Ghana and Sudan is critical in the context of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying process. With Ghana’s rich football history and previous successes in AFCON, they are under pressure to perform after a rocky start in the qualifiers. Meanwhile, Sudan, under the guidance of former Black Stars coach James Kwesi Appiah, aims to leverage past victories to secure their spot in the tournament. Both teams need to secure points to advance, making this encounter particularly significant.
In summary, Ghana approaches the match against Sudan under considerable pressure, considering their current position in the group and the necessity for victory to maintain a shot at AFCON qualification. On the other hand, Sudan will seek to capitalize on their recent performances and challenge Ghana’s historical dominance in this fixture. The stakes are high for both teams, emphasizing the importance of this qualifying encounter.
Original Source: www.sportsmole.co.uk
