Ghana’s hopes of qualifying for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco suffered a major setback after a 2-0 loss to Sudan in a Group F encounter held in Libya.
The Black Stars conceded twice in quick succession during the second half, with Sudan’s Ahmed Mahmoud and Mohammed Abdel-Rahman scoring in the 62nd and 65th minutes, respectively.
The first goal came from a defensive mix-up between Alidu Seidu and Gideon Mensah, allowing Mahmoud to score after his initial shot rebounded off the post.
Shortly after, Abdel-Rahman outpaced Mohammed Salisu and calmly slotted the ball past goalkeeper Lawrence Ati Zigi for Sudan’s second. Abdel-Rahman then celebrated with Sudan’s Ghanaian head coach, James Kwasi Appiah.
Sudan had already threatened in the first half, with Abdel-Rahman and Walieldin Khidir creating chances, but Ghana’s defence held firm until the second-half collapse.
Ghana’s best opportunity came when Antoine Semenyo connected with a cross from Mensah, but the effort narrowly missed the target.
Inaki Williams appeared to score for Ghana early in the second half, but his goal was disallowed for offside.
After the two defensive errors, Ghana struggled to mount a comeback, leaving their qualification hopes in jeopardy.
Ghana currently sits third in Group F with just two points from four matches, while Sudan’s win lifts them to seven points. Angola leads the group with nine points and will face bottom-placed Niger later today.
A win for Angola would secure their place at the 2025 AFCON, making Ghana’s path to the tournament even more difficult.
This defeat marks a critical moment for the Black Stars, as they now face a daunting challenge in their bid to qualify for AFCON.
