2025 AFCON Qualifiers: Sudan vs. Ghana – Preview, Possible lineups, kick-off time

Sudan will host Ghana at the Al-Merreikh Stadium on Tuesday afternoon for a crucial 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match, aiming to extend their lead over the Black Stars in Group F.

The Falcons of Jediane currently sit second in the group with four points, two ahead of Ghana, who are in third place with two points.Match PreviewSudan’s head coach, James Kwesi Appiah, will be looking for a strong performance after his team managed to secure a hard-fought goalless draw against Ghana last Thursday. This result was significant for Sudan, especially following their previous loss to Angola, which had put them at risk of slipping to third place in the group.

To solidify their position among the top two and enhance their chances of clinching one of the two AFCON spots, the Falcons must avoid defeat on Tuesday.

Historically, Sudan has hosted Ghana five times, winning two matches and losing three, with their most recent encounter ending in a 1-0 victory for Sudan during the 2020 AFCON qualifiers.Sudan remains unbeaten in their last three home qualifying matches, including a draw with Togo and a win against the Congo DR in World Cup qualifiers last November, followed by a narrow 1-0 win against Niger in last month’s AFCON qualifiers.

On the other hand, Ghana will be looking to rectify their attacking woes after a disappointing performance in which they registered 20 attempts on goal but failed to convert, leaving them in a precarious position midway through the qualifying campaign. The Black Stars have qualified for the last 10 AFCON editions since missing out in 2004, but that streak is at serious risk if they cannot secure a win in Sudan.

In March, the Ghana Football Association (GFA) reappointed Otto Addo as head coach, seeking to guide the team back to the AFCON following the dismissal of Chris Hughton due to a lackluster showing at the 2023 AFCON in Ivory Coast. Addo remains unbeaten in his second tenure, with a notable 2-1 away win against Mali in a World Cup qualifier and a 1-1 draw with Niger in their only away match of the 2025 AFCON qualifiers so far.

Facing off against Appiah, a former Black Stars coach and GFA executive council member, the Ghanaian side will need to find new strategies to secure the desired outcome, particularly as they have struggled to score in two of their three AFCON qualifying matches to date.

Team News Athletic Bilbao’s Inaki Williams, who came on as a substitute in the first leg, may earn a starting spot after attempting three shots compared to Jordan Ayew’s one.

Meanwhile, West Ham’s Mohammed Kudus will aim for greater efficiency after missing two significant opportunities in the first leg.Sudan’s goalkeeper, Mohamed Mustafa, was exceptional in the previous match, making seven saves. He will be pivotal once again. Mohamed Abdelrahman will lead the attack, hoping to break his goal drought in the AFCON qualifiers.

Sudan’s Possible Starting Lineup: Mustafa; Agab, Koko, Karshoum, Yousif; Khidir, Al-Rasheed, Saeed; Eisa, Abdelrahman, Thierry

Ghana’s Possible Starting Lineup: Ati-Zigi; Seidu, Salisu, Djiku, Mensah; Owusu, Sulemana; Nuamah, Kudus, Semenyo; Inaki

Sudan 0-1 Ghana

Despite a brilliant goalkeeping performance and luck saving Sudan from defeat in the first leg, we believe the Black Stars will rise to the occasion this time, knowing the importance of the match, and will find the crucial goal they need to secure a victory.

The game is scheduled for Tuesday, October 15th at 13:00GMT [1:00pm Local time].