Former champion Ghana in desperate fight for AFCON survival

Ghana was held 0-0 at home by Sudan in a third-round Group F clash on Thursday.

West Ham United’s Mohammed Kudus will captain Ghana. | Photo Credit: REUTERS

Embattled Ghana coach Otto Addo says it must beat Sudan in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier on Tuesday to have a chance of reaching the 2025 finals.

“We have to win,” the 49-year-old in a second stint as Black Stars boss told reporters after they were held 0-0 at home by Sudan in a third-round Group F clash.

Four-time African champion Ghana squandered several glaring chances to break the deadlock in Accra, and trail leader Angola by seven points and Sudan by two halfway through qualifying.

The top two finishers after matchday 6 in November secure places at the 24-team finals of a competition Ghana last won in 1982 in Tripoli. They last failed to qualify 21 years ago.

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Ghana faces a desperate fight for survival in Libyan city Benghazi, where Sudan is temporarily based as it cannot play at home with a civil war raging in the vast northeast African country.

“Where we finish is in our hands,” added Otto, referring to a team captained by Mohammed Kudus of West Ham United, but missing another Premier League midfielder, injured Thomas Partey of Arsenal.