Sudan will host Ghana at Al-Merreikh Stadium on Tuesday afternoon in a 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match, hoping to extend their lead over their opponents.
The Falcons of Jediane are second in Group F with four points, two ahead of the Black Stars who are in third place with two points.
Match preview
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Sudan survived several goal attempts and goal-mouth scrambles to secure a hard-earned goalless draw away at Ghana last Thursday.
It was an important point for the Falcons of Jediane, who lost to Angola in their previous game, leaving them at risk of dropping to third place if they had lost to the Black Stars.
However, the risk remains, as James Kwesi Appiah's side must avoid defeat on Tuesday to remain in the top two and improve their chances of clinching one of the two AFCON tickets.
In five meetings between both teams when Sudan have been hosts, the home side have won two and lost three – though the most recent ended 1-0 in favour of the Falcons of Jediane, coincidentally an AFCON qualifying match in 2020.
Sudan are unbeaten in the last three qualifying matches they have hosted, picking up a draw with Togo and a win against Congo DR in World Cup qualifiers back in November 2023, before edging Niger 1-0 in an AFCON qualifying match last month.
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In a game they had 20 goal attempts with seven on target and four big chances, Ghana were left ruing their wastefulness in front of goal, as this has left them in a desperate position midway through the qualifying campaign.
The Black Stars have featured in the last 10 AFCON editions since missing out in 2004, but that run is at huge risk of ending if they fail to pick up a win away at Sudan on Tuesday.
The Ghanaian Football Association (GFA) reappointed Otto Addo as head coach of the Ghana national football team in March with the aim of leading the team to another AFCON, after sacking Chris Hughton following a poor showing at the 2023 AFCON in Ivory Coast.
The coach is unbeaten on the road in his second spell at the helm, picking up a 2-1 win away at Mali in a World Cup qualifier in June, and a 1-1 draw with Niger in their only 2025 AFCON qualifying away match so far.
With another Ghanaian, a former Black Stars coach and GFA executive council member until last week, in the opposite dugout, the visitors must pull off new tricks if they want to leave Sudan with the required result, as they have now failed to score in two of their three games in the AFCON qualifiers so far.
Team News
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Athletic Bilbao's forward Inaki Williams attempted more shots (three) than Jordan Ayew (one), despite only coming on for the latter in the 69th minute in the first leg, which could see him earn the starting place on Tuesday.
West Ham's Mohammed Kudus missed two of the Black Stars' four big chances, but he would hope to be more clinical when he starts behind the striker once again.
Sudan's goalkeeper Mohamed Mustafa had an outstanding game in the first leg, making seven saves and one high claim, and he will be hoping to make a difference once more between the sticks.
Mohamed Abdelrahman, who is yet to open his goal account in the AFCON qualifiers, will be hoping to do so when he leads the line once again.
Sudan possible starting lineup:
Mustafa; Agab, Koko, Karshoum, Yousif; Khidir, Al-Rasheed, Saeed; Eisa, Abdelrahman, Thierry
Ghana possible starting lineup:
Ati-Zigi; Seidu, Salisu, Djiku, Mensah; Owusu, Sulemana; Nuamah, Kudus, Semenyo; Inaki
We say: Sudan 0-1 Ghana
A combination of a brilliant performance from the goalkeeper, opposition wastefulness, and luck prevented Sudan from losing to Ghana in the first leg – however, we believe that might not be the case again this time, as the visitors know it is crunch time and should be able to find the important goal.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
