Sudan head coach, Kwesi Appiah, has acknowledged the difficulties of playing home games away from home due to the ongoing civil unrest in the country.
But he also emphasized how these challenges have motivated his players to excel.
During the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers, the Falcons of Jediane were forced to play their home matches in neutral venues due to the violence and instability in Sudan.
The situation has been dire, with the UN’s October report warning that Sudan’s population faces “violence, hunger, disease, and displacement,” with nearly 25 million people in need of urgent humanitarian assistance.
Appiah, who previously coached Ghana’s Black Stars before his dismissal in 2020, admitted that the situation has been tough, but also a source of motivation for his squad.
“Playing away from home has been difficult but I spoke to my players and I told them that due to the unrest, they should see any place we play our home games as their home ground,” he told Asempa FM’s Ultimate Sports Show.
“This helped us to prepare our minds for the games. Knowing the situation, the players accepted to play even different roles because they were interested in achieving our target,” he added.
Despite these hurdles, Appiah has successfully led Sudan to qualify for the 2025 AFCON, which will take place in Morocco from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026.
Sudan’s only AFCON title came in 1970 when they hosted the tournament, but they have only advanced past the group stage once in the last 24 editions.
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