Sudan’s woes stem from lack of domestic league-Appiah
Sudan head coach, James Kwesi Appiah, has blamed his team’s fitness struggles at the ongoing TotalEnergies African Nations Championship (CHAN) on the lack of league football in the country, insisting the absence of regular domestic competition has left his players short of the physical sharpness required for top-level competition.
Appiah made the remarks following Sudan’s 1-1 draw with Congo in their Group D encounter, a result that saw his side concede a late equaliser after leading for most of the match.
Despite the overall frustration, there were positives for Sudan, especially the opening goal scored by forward Musa Hussein.
The striker showed excellent awareness in the 29th minute, latching onto a rebound and firing past Congo goalkeeper Ulrick Samba to hand Sudan the lead.
However, Sudan’s inability to maintain their advantage was punished late in the match when substitute Carly Ekongo found the net to level the score and earn Congo a crucial point.
In his post-match assessment, Appiah did not hold back.
“We’ve had no active league back home, which has really affected the fitness levels of the players,” he said. “It’s not about confidence they’re just not in peak shape physically, and that’s a major concern for us.”
Sudan’s preparation for the tournament was limited to a brief four-day training camp, and Appiah admitted that the short build-up has made it difficult for his squad to reach the necessary competitive standard.
The lack of match fitness has contributed to a number of issues, including muscular injuries and lapses in tactical discipline.
“We’re struggling with muscle pulls, and there’s a bit of tactical indiscipline that we need to fix,” Appiah acknowledged.
“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 capitalise on one of them.”
Appiah also highlighted the psychological strain his players are dealing with, revealing that he has had to spend considerable time working on their mental readiness in the absence of consistent club football.
For many of his players, CHAN represents a rare opportunity to play at a continental level, and adjusting to the intensity of the tournament has been a challenge.
“It’s a psychological battle too,” he explained. —CAF
