Sudan’s assistant coach, Ignatius Osei-Fosu, emphasized that Ghana’s loss to Angola was a critical moment in their AFCON 2025 qualifiers campaign. The defeat significantly impacted Ghana’s performance, making recovery extremely difficult. Sudan, meanwhile, successfully qualified for the tournament, highlighting their rise in African football.
Ignatius Osei-Fosu, the assistant coach of the Sudan national football team, has identified a pivotal moment that he believes sealed Ghana’s fate in the qualifiers for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). Osei-Fosu, who has previously held coaching roles within several clubs in the Ghana Premier League, currently works alongside former Ghana coach Kwasi Appiah at Sudan. Recent matches have revealed a competitive nature between the two teams, with Sudan emerging victorious by claiming four points against Ghana in their qualifying group.
Osei-Fosu asserts that Ghana’s opening qualifier against Angola was critical in determining their inability to progress. Despite the expectation of a favorable draw, a defensive error by Abdul Mumin resulted in a 1-0 defeat for Ghana at home. The assistant coach commented, “Losing in Kumasi to Angola, I think that was the end of the qualifiers for Ghana. Once you lose a home game, it becomes very difficult to recover.” He highlighted that their desperation to secure a win against Niger was amplified by the pressure stemming from that home loss.
As members of the Sudanian coaching staff, primarily composed of Ghanaians, they felt a duality of emotions witnessing their homeland’s struggles. The challenge of analyzing Ghana’s performance was particularly acute for Appiah, who is also an Executive Council member. Osei-Fosu shared, “People have no idea how we feel when things go wrong. We really feel it.”
Since his appointment to lead Sudan’s national squad in October 2023, Kwasi Appiah has guided the team back to AFCON, their first appearance since 2013. Demonstrating a strong performance, Sudan currently leads their group in the CAF World Cup qualifiers with ten points.
The Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) serves as a key tournament for national teams across the African continent, with the qualifiers providing critical opportunities for countries to demonstrate their competitive abilities. The 2025 edition has drawn significant attention as teams strive to secure their place, with unexpected outcomes often impacting future matches and group standings. Ghana, historically a strong contender in African football, faced an uphill battle in this qualifying campaign, especially with a disappointing start that undermined their confidence and performance. Sudan’s surprising form in the qualifiers, particularly their ability to garner points against Ghana, has highlighted the shifts in dynamics among African national teams.
In summary, the analysis provided by Coach Ignatius Osei-Fosu points to a definitive turning point in Ghana’s dismal performance in the 2025 AFCON qualifiers. The loss to Angola appears to have severely impacted their overall morale and subsequent matches. Osei-Fosu’s insights not only reflect the emotional weight felt by the backroom staff but also underscore the importance of home games in maintaining momentum in qualifiers. Sudan’s contrasting rise under Appiah’s guidance further highlights the evolving competitive landscape in African football.
Original Source: www.ghanaweb.com
