Ignatius Osei-Fosu, assistant coach for Sudan, asserts that Ghana’s 1-0 defeat against Angola was the decisive blow in their 2025 AFCON qualifiers, which significantly impacted their performance due to the pressure of recovering from a home loss. Sudan, under coach Kwasi Appiah, has thrived, securing their first AFCON qualification since 2013, in an ironic twist as they surpassed Ghana in group standings.
Assistant coach Ignatius Osei-Fosu of the Sudan national football team recently identified Ghana’s defeat against Angola as a pivotal moment in their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying campaign. Osei-Fosu, previously a notable figure in the Ghanaian Premier League, now finds himself in a challenging situation, as he works alongside Kwasi Appiah, Sudan’s head coach and former Ghanaian national team coach.
In a twist of fate, both Sudan and Ghana were drawn into the same qualifying group, where Sudan secured a spot in Morocco by amassing four points against the Black Stars, including a 2-0 victory in Morocco and a goalless draw in Accra. Despite multiple losses from Ghana, Osei-Fosu emphasized that their first qualifying match, a home game against Angola, sealed their fate. A defensive mistake by Abdul Mumin allowed Angola to clinch a narrow 1-0 victory, which proved detrimental to Ghana’s subsequent performances.
Osei-Fosu remarked, “Losing in Kumasi to Angola, I think that was the end of the qualifiers for Ghana. Once you lose a home game, it becomes very difficult to recover. On any day, Ghana would have won that game against Niger in Morocco, but because we had already lost a game in Ghana, we were desperate to win at all costs. And playing with that kind of pressure is tough.”
The emotionally challenging atmosphere was compounded by the fact that much of the Sudan coaching staff, including goalkeeping coach Fatau Dauda, consisted of Ghanaians. Observing Ghana’s struggles was particularly difficult for them, especially for Appiah, who bears a significant responsibility as a member of the Executive Council of the Ghana Football Association.
Additionally, Sudan’s successful campaign under Appiah, which has led them to their first AFCON appearance since 2013, stands in stark contrast to Ghana’s painful exit from the qualifiers. Sudan currently leads Group B in the CAF World Cup qualifiers, amassing 10 points.
The unfolding dynamics of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers have highlighted the contrasting fortunes of the Ghana and Sudan national football teams. While Ghana, historically a football powerhouse in Africa, struggled significantly in their qualifying matches, Sudan has thrived under the leadership of Kwasi Appiah, their recent appointment as head coach. This backdrop sets the stage for understanding Ignatius Osei-Fosu’s perspective on Ghana’s failures and their implications on future performance in international tournaments.
In summary, Ignatius Osei-Fosu’s insights reveal that Ghana’s downfall in the 2025 AFCON qualifiers can be traced back to their critical home defeat against Angola. The psychological burden of this loss compounded with the intense pressure during subsequent matches severely hindered their chance of qualification. In contrast, Sudan’s ascent led by Appiah illustrates a significant turnaround, marking a notable achievement in qualifying for AFCON after a lengthy absence since 2013.
Original Source: www.ghanaweb.com
