Sudan end long struggle to the quarter-final berth at CHAN 2024
Sports
By
Mike Kihaki
| Aug 19, 2025
Sudan’s long and difficult road to the knockout stages of the African Nations Championship (CHAN) 2024 finally bore fruit on Tuesday night.
This is after a tense goalless draw with holders Senegal at Zanzibar’s Amaan Stadium, earning them a top mark in Group D on goal difference, with Senegal finishing second.
It was a moment of vindication for Ghanaian coach Kwesi Appiah, who has battled against the odds to mould Sudan into one of the tournament’s most resilient sides.
With no active domestic league back home, Appiah’s squad has lacked regular competitive football, leaving players short of fitness and sharpness.
“It’s not about confidence they’re just not in peak shape physically, and that’s a major concern,” Appiah admitted earlier in the group stage.
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Sudan’s preparations were limited to a brief four-day training camp, forcing the coach to rely heavily on psychological motivation as much as tactical drills.
The struggle was evident in their group campaign by surrendering a late equaliser to draw 1-1 with Congo after Musa Hussein had given them the lead, before bouncing back to stun Nigeria 4-0 with a dominant display.
Against Senegal, Sudan showed discipline and resilience, absorbing wave after wave of pressure. Goalkeeper Abdel Raouf Yagoub and captain Fares Abdullah led from the back, while the team’s midfield graft kept the champions from finding rhythm.
Senegal threatened through Pape Badji and Libasse Guèye, but Sudan’s backline stood firm. The match reached boiling point in first-half stoppage time when Sudan appealed for a penalty, only for VAR to rule against them.
In a fiery second half, chances came and went for both sides before Senegal’s Mbaye Yaya Ly was sent off late on, leaving them with ten men. Despite their numerical advantage, Sudan had little time to press, and the contest ended 0-0.
The draw, however, was enough. With both sides finishing on five points, Sudan’s superior goal difference (+4 to Senegal’s +1) put them top of Group D.
Nigeria’s 2-0 win over Congo in Dar es Salaam left the Super Eagles stranded in third, while Congo exited bottom.
Sudan now join them in the last eight, the challenge ahead is immense, but for the first time in years, Sudan walk into the knockouts not as underdogs, but as genuine contenders.