Sudan head coach Kwesi Appiah has admitted that his team is battling significant fitness and psychological challenges at the ongoing TotalEnergies African Nations Championship (CHAN) but remains confident of a stronger performance against Nigeria in their next Group D fixture.
Appiah’s men were held to a 1-1 draw by Congo in their opening match at the Amaan Stadium in Zanzibar, after taking the lead through forward Musa Hussein in the 29th minute.
|
|
Despite showing early promise, Sudan surrendered the advantage late in the game as Congo substitute Carly Ekongo struck a crucial equaliser.
Speaking after the match, the former Ghana national team boss laid bare the realities confronting his team, largely attributing their second-half slump to a lack of league football back home.
|
|
|
|---|
“We’ve had no active league back home, which has really affected the fitness levels of the players,” Appiah said. “It’s not about confidence — they’re just not in peak shape physically, and that’s a major concern for us.”
Sudan, who last featured at CHAN in 2018 and finished third, had a brief four-day camp before the tournament, a preparation Appiah says was insufficient to bring his players to the required competitive level.
“We’re struggling with muscle pulls, and there’s a bit of tactical indiscipline that we need to fix,” he admitted. “But overall, I wouldn’t say it was a bad performance. We created some good scoring opportunities, and our striker Musa Hussein did well to capitalize on one of them.”
Beyond physical concerns, Appiah also highlighted the psychological toll the situation has taken on his players. With CHAN offering rare international exposure, many of them are stepping into unfamiliar territory.
“It’s a psychological battle too,” he revealed. “I’ve had to do a lot of meetings just to get the players mentally ready to play at this level. It’s not easy, but I have to keep motivating them to believe in themselves and the team’s abilities.”
READ ALSO: CHAN 2024: Eric Chelle slams poor Eagles’ display against Senegal
Looking ahead to Sudan’s second Group D encounter against Nigeria on 12 August, Appiah says his team is determined to respond.
“We have a week to prepare,” he said. “That gives me a chance to adjust the team and improve things. We’ll work on our weaknesses and come back stronger against Nigeria.”
Sudan’s clash with Nigeria now carries added weight, with both teams chasing their first win of the tournament after the Super Eagles’ narrow 1-0 loss to Senegal. Despite the odds, Appiah remains optimistic.
“The fight is still on, and we’re determined to make a strong comeback,” he declared.
Discover more from Premium Times Nigeria
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
