11/10/2024
Four-time African champions, the Black Stars of Ghana have once again failed to secure a win in their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier campaign as they were held to yet another draw by their Sudanese counterparts in the first leg of their doubleheader.
The Stars failed to score on home soil for the second consecutive time after they were held to a goalless (0-0) draw at the Accra Sports Stadium on Thursday, October 10, 2024 (matchday three).
This unsatisfactory performance comes after barely 48-hours of a pre-match tongue-lashing by the Ghana FA President, Kurt Edwin Simeon-Okraku, who could not put up with the results of the team’s two opener matches against Angola and Niger.
Despite fielding a strong starting line-up with Mohammed Kudus assuming captaincy in the absence of Thomas Partey, Otto Addo’s chase for a first win in the qualifiers continued as the team failed to convert several opportunities that came their way in the second half.
Prior, Ghana came close to taking the lead in the early minutes of the game but Alexander Djiku’s attempt could not find the back of the net.
After an unsuccessful first half ended goalless, the Black Stars returned from recess looking to change the scoreline.
However, luck eluded the likes of Semnyo, Kudus and substitute Inaki Williams who came close to breaking the deadlock and sealing a win for Ghana but had their efforts saved by Kwesi Appiah’s Sudanese shot stopper.
With an obvious disappointed huge homebased fans seated on the edge of their seats anxiously anticipating a goal and a possible first win, Ghana’s 2025 AFCON chances grow slimmer after the referee whistled to bring the game to a closure.
The Group F stalemate placed Sudan second with four points and the Black Stars in third position with just two points, a clear four points behind Angola which may change to 7 points should the latter win their home game against Niger.
Ghana will travel to Libyan city Benghazi on Tuesday, October 15, 2024, for the return fixture which will determine the Black Stars’ participation or otherwise in the 2025 AFCON tourney depending on the result of the game.
By: Maxwell Woyram Tsigbe