Sudan revived its hopes of competing for a ticket to the second round of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations currently being held in the Kingdom of Morocco, after achieving a valuable and difficult victory over its counterpart, the Equatorial Guinea national team, by a clean goal, in the match that brought them together on Sunday evening as part of the second round of the group stage.
The “Falcons of Jediane” owe this victory to “friendly fire,” as the only goal of the match came in the 74th minute, following a direct free kick that was executed brilliantly inside the penalty area, which defender Saul Koko mistakenly turned into his own net, giving Sudan three valuable points after a match characterized by competitiveness and defensive caution from both sides.
Group standings and qualification scenarios
With this result, the Sudanese national team successfully recovered from their heavy 3-0 defeat in the opening round against Algeria. Meanwhile, Equatorial Guinea's situation worsened after suffering their second consecutive loss, following their initial defeat against Burkina Faso. This result puts Sudan firmly in contention, as their upcoming and final group stage match against Burkina Faso has become a "final" that will determine their qualification for the Round of 16, either as group runners-up or as one of the best third-placed teams.
End of a 13-year contract
This victory carries immense historical and symbolic significance for Sudanese football, as it marks the first win for the Sudanese national team in the Africa Cup of Nations finals in 13 years. Specifically, the last time the "Falcons of Jediane" triumphed in the continental tournament was in the 2012 edition held in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea, when they reached the quarter-finals – an achievement they haven't repeated since. Breaking this streak gives the players a tremendous morale boost as they strive to recapture past glories.
The richness of history and the ambition to return
It is worth noting that the Sudanese national team is not merely a participant in the tournament, but one of the founding members of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), alongside Egypt and Ethiopia. They previously won the continental title once in their history, in 1970, when they hosted the tournament. Despite declining results in recent decades, this victory in the 2025 Morocco edition revives memories of Sudanese football's rich history and rekindles the hopes of fans eager to see their national team return to competing with the giants of African football, especially given the exceptional circumstances the country is facing. This makes the victory all the more special, extending far beyond the pitch.
