Ghanaian coach James Kwesi Appiah saw his Sudanese side’s hopes of reaching the FIFA World Cup for the first time dented after a 2-0 defeat to Senegal in Dakar.
Appiah, who has guided Sudan to an impressive run in the qualifiers despite the nation’s ongoing civil war, endured a tough evening as his team fell behind to early pressure from the Teranga Lions.
Kalidou Koulibaly opened the scoring in the 14th minute before Pape Sarr doubled the lead just before halftime, effectively sealing the contest.
The loss halted Sudan’s push to close the gap on leaders DR Congo. Instead, Appiah’s side remain third in Group B with 12 points from seven matches, four behind Congo and three adrift of Senegal.
Sudan, unable to host matches at home due to the conflict in their country, have been playing on neutral grounds—a challenge Appiah has repeatedly described as a ‘mental and logistical burden’ for his players.
Despite this, the Ghanaian has kept Sudan competitive, with a squad built largely from local talent, many of whom shone at the recent CHAN tournament.
With three games left, Appiah’s men still have an outside chance of qualification. Their immediate task will be to defeat Mauritania on September 9 while hoping the outcome of the Congo-Senegal clash opens the door for a late surge.
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