All eyes on Lome as Niger hold key to Ghana’s AFCON 2025 qualification hopes

In a season-defining moment in the 2025 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers, all eyes will be on the Niger-Sudan clash on Thursday, set to take place in Lome, Togo. A match that has all it takes to decide Ghana’s AFCON destiny.

Ghana’s hopes of making it to the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) hangs on a thread after the team suffered a massive blow in last month’s qualifying double-header against Sudan.

Ghana, with a mere 2 points, teeters on the cusp of failing to qualify for the AFCON for the first time in 20 years. Angola (12 points) have already secured qualification, while Sudan (7 points) and Niger (1 point) hold the keys to Ghana’s fate.

Sudan, who are in pole position to qualify for the the continent’s most prestigious tournament for the first time since 2021, would be hoping to get the job done on Thursday to grab a ticket to the 2025 AFCON alongside Angola from Group F.

Sudan need to pick up a point in their last two games against Niger and Angola to guarantee their spot. Based on the evidence of how good they’ve been, especially since the appointment of Kwesi Appiah in September 2023, it would be unbelievable for Sudan to fail to qualify for the tournament.

Ghana requires help from other countries to qualify, including Niger, whom Ghana Football Association (GFA) President Kurt Okraku infamously belittled following their 1-1 stalemate in the AFCON qualifiers.

“Few weeks ago we played against Niger. How did you guys feel when you went back home to your bases having drawn against Niger. How did you feel? Were you happy? Niger. Come on guys you drew against Niger. You drew 1-1 against Niger that was the score line. No joke. 1-1 against Niger. Four, five of the players who played in that [Niger] squad, sorry cannot play in my club that is the truth,” he said.

To qualify, the Black Stars need to win their remaining matches against Angola and Niger and hope that Sudan lose both matches against the same opposition.

Conversely, Ghana’s qualification dreams can be crushed if Niger fails to beat Sudan on Thursday, or if Niger wins but Angola secures a point against Ghana on Friday.

As Lome prepares for the showdown, Ghana’s football faithful holds its collective breath. The Black Stars’ AFCON hopes hang by a thread, and only a victory and a favorable outcome from elsewhere will reignite their qualification ambitions.

With Sudan determined to play spoilers, this clash promises to be an intense, nerve-wracking encounter.