-Deborah Akinyosoye
In an ironic twist of fate, Kwesi Appiah, the former Black Stars defender and two-time Ghana coach, led Sudan to a 2-0 victory over Otto Addo’s Black Stars on Tuesday.
The victory jeopardises Ghana’s qualification hopes for Morocco 2025 from Group F. Sudan took four points from their two encounters with Ghana, placing the Black Stars on the brink of elimination.
Ahmed Al Tash and Mohamed Abdelrahman scored in the second half to secure the Falcons’ victory, solidifying Sudan’s second place in Group F.
Angola, already qualified with 12 points, are out of reach, while Sudan need just one point from their remaining two matches against Angola to qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) for the first time since 2021.
In Group A, Tunisia held Comoros to a 1-1 draw, maintaining their top spot with seven points. Faiz Selemani gave Comoros the lead early in the second half, but Yassine Meriah’s equaliser rescued a point for Tunisia. Comoros, unbeaten in their four matches, will face Gambia in a crucial double-header in November as they seek their second AFCON qualification.
Gabon’s 2-0 victory over Lesotho moved them closer to qualification from Group B. However, they must remain cautious of the Central African Republic (CAR), who still have a chance despite only having three points. Gabon will face Morocco next, while CAR will have two fixtures against Lesotho. Morocco, who have dominated the group with 12 points, are already qualified.
Meanwhile, Libya’s unfair tactics have not improved their qualification chances, as CAF postponed their match. In Group D, Rwanda came from behind to defeat Benin, placing Libya at the bottom with one point. Nigeria remain top with seven points, followed by Benin with six and Rwanda with five.
Algeria are through from Group E with a perfect record, while Equatorial Guinea need at least a point against Algeria in November to secure the second spot. In Group F, Angola have qualified with a perfect record, while Sudan’s victory over Ghana puts them in second place.
Sierra Leone surprised everyone by defeating African champions Côte d’Ivoire 1-0, keeping their qualification hopes alive in Group G. Zambia secured a 1-0 win over Chad to strengthen its hold on second place. However, Sierra Leone still have a chance, facing Chad in a double-header in November while Zambia tango with Côte d’Ivoire.
In Group H, Congo DR qualified with a perfect record, while Tanzania and Guinea are in a tight race for second place. Tanzania will face Ethiopia in November, while Guinea must take points from Congo DR to stay in the race.
Group I remains open, with Mozambique, Mali, and Guinea-Bissau all in contention. Both Mozambique and Mali have eight points and will face each other in November. A win for either will guarantee qualification.
In Group J, Cameroon and Zimbabwe look set to qualify, with 10 and eight points, respectively. Zimbabwe need a win against Kenya to confirm its place, but Kenya could overtake it with a victory.
Uganda are the surprise leaders in Group K, with 10 points, followed by South Africa on eight. A doubleheader between the two in November will likely decide the group, though Congo, currently in third, still has a chance.
Finally, Burkina Faso and Senegal have both qualified from Group L with 10 points each.
The next round of matches will be played between 11 and 19 November, with the tournament scheduled in Morocco from 21 December 2025 to 18 January 2026.