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Rejected stone to cornerstone: Kwesi Appiah qualifies Sudan to AFCON ahead of Ghana

Former Ghana head coach James Kwesi Appiah has secured qualification with Sudan for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco.
“How do I feed my family?”: Kwesi Appiah slams GFA over unpaid salaries
“How do I feed my family?”: Kwesi Appiah slams GFA over unpaid salaries

This comes after his side held Angola to a goalless draw in the final AFCON qualifying round of games. 

The Falcons of Jediane needed only one point from their final two matches but were thrashed 4-0 by Niger on Thursday to put them on a nervy edge. 

But the 64-year-old experienced coach and his backroom staff knew exactly how to get over the line. 

Sudan finished in second place in Group F, amassing eight points in six group games. 

Road to qualification  

They opened the qualifying round with a 1-0 win over Niger before losing 2-1 to Angola in Luanda. 

Appiah then had the daunting task of leading the North African side in a double-header against his home country.

Sudan, under the guidance of two Ghanaian coaches Appiah and his assistant, Ignatius Osei-Fosu grabbed four points out of a possible six against the Black Stars

They held Otto Addo’s side to a goalless stalemate at the Accra Sports Stadium in October and then emerged victorious with a 2-0 scoreline in Morocco. 

This is no small feat, especially because they have had to play every single game away from home due to the security instability in the region.  

Sudan also lead their 2026 World Cup qualifiers group with 10 points in five matches, ahead of Senegal, who have eight points. 

Sudan join Angola to qualify from Group F for the 24-team tournament to be held in Morocco from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026. 

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