In a significant turn of events at the Africa Cup of Nations, Sudan clinched a crucial 1-0 victory over Equatorial Guinea on Sunday. The win, secured by an unfortunate own goal, revives Sudan's hopes of advancing to the tournament's knockout stages for the first time in over a decade.
Match Decided by Late Own Goal
The decisive moment arrived in the 74th minute of the Group E encounter in Casablanca. A Sudan free-kick led to a defensive scramble in the Equatorial Guinea box. As teammate Luis Asue attempted to clear the danger, the ball deflected off Torino centre-back Saul Coco and ricocheted into his own net. This solitary goal proved enough to separate the two sides, handing Sudan a precious three points.
A Rare Triumph for Sudanese Football
This victory holds immense historical weight for Sudan. Despite being crowned African champions in 1970, their record in the tournament since that triumph has been bleak. This marks only their second win in 18 matches across six AFCON appearances since 1970. The significance is further amplified by the context of their current FIFA world ranking of 117th, which is 20 places below Equatorial Guinea (97th).
The result dramatically alters the landscape of Group E. Coach Kwesi Appiah's Sudanese side now sits on three points from two matches, while Equatorial Guinea have lost both of their opening games. Sudan's final group fixture will be against Burkina Faso on Wednesday, where a positive result could see them progress.
Football Amidst Adversity
The team's participation in Morocco is a story of resilience. Sudan's national team is competing while their homeland remains devastated by the ongoing conflict between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which erupted in April 2023. Their performance on the pitch serves as a powerful symbol of national pride amidst profound hardship.
Should they advance, it would be only the second time Sudan has reached the knockout phase since their 1970 title win. Their sole other appearance in the later stages was in 2012, when they were eliminated in the quarter-finals by eventual champions Zambia.
Mozambique Ends Long Wait for Victory
In other AFCON action on Sunday, Mozambique also made history. The Mambas ended a 39-year wait for their first-ever tournament victory by defeating Gabon 3-2 in a thrilling Group F match in Agadir. Goals from Faisal Bangal, Geny Catamo, and Diogo Calila secured the historic win, despite strikes from Gabon's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alex Moussounda. This result leaves Mozambique level on three points with defending champions Ivory Coast and Cameroon in their group.
