Ghanaian coach, James Kwesi Appiah, has written many chapters in African soccer, however few are as dramatic because the one unfolding with Sudan as they put together to play within the semi-finals of the African Nations Championship (CHAN) PAMOJA 2024 towards Madagascar on at present.
Towards the backdrop of a brutal civil conflict that has displaced greater than 12 million folks and left complete cities in ruins, the 64-year-old has turned Sudan’s CHAN crew and the primary senior nationwide crew, the Falcons of Jediane, into one of many continent’s most compelling tales.
Appiah’s Sudan will not be solely semi-finalists on the African Nations Championship (CHAN) PAMOJA 2024, they’ve additionally certified for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco forward of his personal Ghana.
Additionally they sit on high of a 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying group that features continental giants, Senegal and DR Congo.
For a nation whose home league is suspended, whose gamers stay as nomads, and whose dwelling fixtures are staged in Libya or South Sudan, it borders on the miraculous.
A Profession of firsts
For Appiah, this isn’t the primary time he has turned adversity into triumph. As a participant, he was a part of Ghana’s 1982 Africa Cup of Nations successful squad in Libya, claiming the Black Stars’ fourth continental title.
As a coach, he turned the primary black African to guide Ghana to a FIFA World Cup in 2014, steering them to Brazil. He was additionally assistant coach in 2010 when Ghana reached the World Cup quarter-finals, nonetheless Africa’s finest displaying alongside Cameroon (1990), Senegal (2002) and Morocco (2022) despite the fact that Morocco surpassed this achievement by taking part in within the semi-final of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Regardless of these achievements, Appiah is wanting ahead to reaching extra after they tackle Madagascar within the final 4 of the match meant just for home-based gamers despite the fact that his gamers will not be actively taking part in of their home league due to the conflict.
“As soon as you’re in a match, you will need to intention for the trophy,” Appiah instructed CAFOnline.com
“I don’t imagine in taking part simply so as to add numbers. When you enter, you will need to go all out to win.”
That perception has travelled with him from Accra to Khartoum and now to Sudan’s short-term bases in Saudi Arabia, Mauritania and Libya.
Sudan’s Journey within the Darkest Instances
The conflict that broke out in April 2023 compelled Sudan’s league to be suspended. Its high golf equipment, Al Hilal and Al Merrikh, have been quickly absorbed into the Mauritanian league simply to maintain gamers energetic.
Many squad members have misplaced relations to the battle; others are separated from family members scattered throughout refugee camps in Chad and South Sudan.
“More often than not, we obtain messages that one of many boys has misplaced a relative,” Appiah stated.
“However I all the time remind them: you’re the ones who can carry smiles to your folks. Even when the combating continues, after we play, generally the weapons go silent for every week or two.”
The symbolism is highly effective: soccer as a fragile sanctuary within the midst of conflict. And for Sudanese all over the place from Omdurman to Cairo, from diaspora communities in Europe and Australia this crew has turn into a supply of unity.
Eliminating Ghana and defying giants
Maybe essentially the most poignant twist of this journey is that Appiah’s Sudan eradicated his personal nation, Ghana, in AFCON 2025 qualifying. A goalless attract Accra was adopted by a surprising 2-0 victory in Benghazi that sealed Ghana’s first failure to achieve the Nations Cup in 20 years.
“As a Ghanaian, after all I used to be unhappy,” Appiah admitted.
“However as soon as you’re a skilled, you have a look at the place you’re working. My accountability is Sudan.”
Sudan’s AFCON qualification got here after a nerve-shredding marketing campaign. Regardless of a 4-0 collapse to Niger, they recovered to carry Angola 0-0 and safe second place of their group. The enjoyment was palpable: “Everyone put their weapons down and danced within the streets,” Appiah recalled of the celebrations.
The CHAN semi-final run solely underlines their resilience.
Towards Algeria, final version’s runners-up, Sudan fought to a 1-1 draw earlier than successful Saturday’s match 4-2 on penalties, with goalkeeper Mohamed Abooja the hero. Now they stand one recreation away from a first-ever CHAN ultimate.
Teaching Philosophy: Perception above all
Appiah’s strategies transcend techniques. “I inform the gamers to really feel like they’re Messi or Ronaldo,” he defined.
“They need to by no means belittle themselves. Wherever we play, whether or not we’ve supporters or not, we should see it as dwelling.”
His emphasis on psychology has lifted gamers similar to Mohamed Abdulrahman, Abuaagla Abdallah and Ramadan Agab into leaders, whereas diaspora abilities like Abdelrahman Kuku raised in Australia, now taking part in in Libya have added depth to the squad.
With coaching camps in Saudi Arabia providing trendy amenities and publicity, the Falcons are fitter, extra tactically astute and mentally harder than at any level of their trendy historical past.
A mission greater than soccer
For Appiah, soccer is about greater than outcomes. “Perhaps by soccer, the conflict would possibly even come to an finish,” he instructed BBC Sport Africa.
Which will sound idealistic, however the proof is seen: Sudanese followers from rival golf equipment Al Hilal and Al Merrikh have put aside many years of hostility to unite behind the nationwide crew.
Refugees in camps beam matches on small televisions, briefly escaping the horrors of displacement.
“Soccer is among the keys that may unlock such wars,” Appiah insists.
His success has already impressed debate throughout Africa about trusting native coaches, with many pointing to him as proof that African managers can ship even within the harshest circumstances.
The highway forward
Sudan now put together to face Madagascar within the CHAN semi-finals, the one East African aspect left standing after co-hosts Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda all exited within the quarter-finals.
Later this yr, they’ll line up at AFCON 2025 in Morocco, with Algeria, Nigeria, Senegal and others of their path. And in 2026, they might but be on the World Cup in North America, a stage Sudan have by no means reached earlier than.
No matter occurs subsequent, Kwesi Appiah has already etched his title into the continent’s soccer folklore. From AFCON champion in 1982, to World Cup coach in 2014, to miracle employee in 2024–25, his legacy is safe.
As he put it himself: “By God’s grace, we’ve certified. We are going to put together very properly and guarantee we’ve a robust crew. Any competitors we enter, we intention for the cup.”-CAF
