'Toothless' Black Stars held by Sudan as Ghana drop points again in AFCON qualifiers

• A toothless Black Stars side failed to bite as they were held to a stalemate at the Accra Sports Stadium on Thursday afternoon
• The disappointing results leaves Ghana in third position with the possibility of missing out on the AFCON for the first time since 2004
• Nonetheless, Otto Addo and his charges will hope to get their acts together when they face the same side in the reverse tie on October 14

The Black Stars of Ghana endured another frustrating evening as Sudan held them to a goalless draw in the ongoing 2025 African Cup of Nations Qualifiers.

With just one point from two matches, Ghana’s hopes of advancing to Morocco 2025 took another hit in this crucial fixture against a Sudan side led by Ghanaian legend Kwesi Appiah.

A Mohammed Kudus-captained Black Stars were held to a goalless draw by Sudan in the 2025 AFCON Qualifiers at the Accra Sports Stadium. Photo credit: @GhanaBlackstars/X.
Source: UGC

Ghana held by Sudan

Head coach Otto Addo, under pressure to turn things around, made several changes to the squad that had drawn with Niger in September.

He introduced Alexander Djiku, Ibrahim Sulemana, Gideon Mensah, and Ernest Nuamah into the starting eleven, signalling a more aggressive approach.

True to form, the four-time African champions started the game with urgency, pressing high and controlling possession.

However, as noted by Myjoyonline, the cutting edge was missing in the final third as they struggled to break down Sudan's resilient defence.

West Ham United's Mohammed Kudus, handed the captaincy in Thomas Partey’s absence, and Bournemouth's Antoine Semenyo had the best chances to give Ghana the lead in the first half.

But Sudanese goalkeeper Mohammed Mustafa was equal to the task, pulling off a series of crucial saves to keep the game level.

As the first stanza wore on, Ghana's intensity began to dip, allowing Sudan to grow into the match.

Stubborn Sudan see out draw in Accra

In the second half, Kwesi Appiah made two quick substitutions to reinforce his side, while Otto Addo responded by introducing Abdul Fatawu Issahaku, followed later by Inaki Williams and Michael Baidoo.

These changes injected some energy into the Black Stars, who went in search of the elusive winning goal.

Despite dominating possession, Ghana's lack of composure in front of goal proved costly.

Kudus, in particular, missed a golden opportunity when an open net beckoned after Inaki Williams failed to connect with a cross from the right.

It was a chance that summed up Ghana's night—plenty of promise but no end product.

Sudan, on the other hand, remained disciplined at the back, benefiting from a mix of heroic goalkeeping, wasteful finishing from the Ghanaians, and a bit of luck.

According to 3news, the visitors ultimately held on for a famous draw, leaving Ghana to rue their missed chances.

Nigerian journalists kidnapped enroute to Uyo

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the Nigerian Police Force Anambra State command has rescued six out of seven sports journalists who were kidnapped in Anambra State.

They were reportedly on their way to cover the Super Eagles AFCON 2025 qualifiers match against Libya at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo Akwa-Ibom state.

They were abducted by suspected hoodlums while travelling through the Isseke community, Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra State, on Thursday.

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Source: YEN.com.gh