Sudan Secures AFCON 2025 Qualification as Benin Joins the Roster
Sudan’s football warriors have navigated the turbulent seas of civil conflict to secure their spot in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations. Despite the chaotic backdrop, they triumphed in a fiercely competitive final round of qualifiers, joining Benin in the journey to next year’s illustrious tournament.
Due to the unrest that began in April of the preceding year, Sudan’s domestic league has been on pause, forcing the national team to play their home games on neutral grounds, far from the cheering home crowd. With Libya and South Sudan becoming temporary homes for their fixtures, the Falcons of Jediane faced an uphill battle.
Heading into the final two matches, all they needed was a solitary point. But, they hit a bump in the road, falling to a surprising 4-0 loss to Niger on Thursday. Yet, they managed to clutch that precious second place in Group F, thanks to a nail-biting 0-0 draw against the already-advanced Angola, in a match held on Libyan soil.
Niger, on the other hand, had a golden opportunity to leapfrog Sudan. Even with Oumar Sako’s last-gasp goal earning them a victory over Ghana in Accra, they couldn’t quite catch up and had to wave the qualifying dream goodbye by a whisker-thin margin.
Turning to Group D, Benin emerged victorious in the qualification quest, drawing the critical match against Libya. This result catapulted them back to the finals for the first time since 2019. With their feet firmly planted on the much-coveted path, Benin sailed through despite a tough showing from Rwanda, whose unexpected 2-1 victory away against Nigeria kept the battle intense. Both Benin and Rwanda finished equal on eight points, but Benin’s superior head-to-head record clinched the deal.
The stage is set for the final acts of qualification theater: Rhodes and Crows. Come Tuesday, the hunt for the last three places in the 2025 Nations Cup in sunny Morocco will tighten. In Group C, it’s a tussle between Botswana and Mauritania for the second spot. Meanwhile, Group H sees Tanzania needing a home victory over Guinea to outshine their West African rivals.
Group I’s showdown is equally thrilling, with Guinea-Bissau looking to upend Mozambique and secure an advantageous head-to-head result against the Mambas.
And here are the mighty teams already gearing up for Afcon 2025:
Hosts Morocco, plus Algeria, Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Comoros, DR Congo, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Mali, Senegal, South Africa, Sudan, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
“The power of football transcends borders and conflicts,” one could say, as these teams prepare to showcase their skills on Africa’s grandest stage.
Edited by: Ali Musa
alimusa@axadletimes.com
Axadle international–Monitoring
