GhanaWeb Feature by Benjamin Sackey<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n Ghanaian coach James Kwasi Appiah has led the Sudanese national team to secure a historic qualification for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations for the first time in 12 years. <\/p>\n The qualification has brought joy to many Sudanese who have been battling chaos for quite some time and are still dealing with the situation.<\/p>\n Kwasi Appiah\u2019s poor performance with the Black Stars team in the 2014 World Cup, marred by controversies among the players, led to his dismissal.<\/p>\n The coach did not give up on his career, as he earned an appointment in September to take charge of the Falcons of Jediane for a year.<\/p>\n Kwasi Appiah\u2019s Profile<\/b><\/p>\n James Kwesi Appiah, born on 30 June 1960, also known as Akwasi Appiah, is a Ghanaian football coach and former player.<\/p>\n He became the manager of Ghana in 2017. Appiah, a left-back, played club football with Asante Kotoko, playing for them between 1983 and 1993. <\/p>\n Appiah played for the Ghanaian national team between 1987 and 1992, appearing in two FIFA World Cup qualifying matches; he also captained the team.<\/p>\n He has received technical training from English clubs Manchester City and Liverpool. Appiah was the assistant coach for Ghana between 2007 and 2012.<\/p>\n In 2011, he headed the U23 team to win the All-Africa Games. <\/p>\n He qualified the Black Stars for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, making history as the first African coach to qualify Ghana for the World Cup.<\/p>\n After resigning in September 2014, he was appointed again in April 2017. <\/p>\n In September 2023, Appiah was appointed as the head coach of Sudan\u2019s men\u2019s national team and signed a three-year contract.<\/p>\n Before this appointment, Appiah coached Sudanese club Al-Khartoum in 2014 and helped the team finish fourth in the league.<\/p>\n How Appiah qualified Sudan for the 2025 AFCON<\/b><\/p>\n Sudan started their AFCON qualifiers in Group F with a 1-0 win over Niger.<\/p>\n They lost to Angola 2-1 in their second qualifier match. <\/p>\n The most recognizable moment that resonates among Ghanaians is when Sudan held the Black Stars to a goalless draw at the Accra Sports Stadium and defeated them 2-0 at a neutral ground in Libya in October 2024.<\/p>\n Sudan were humiliated 4-1 by Niger in an away game, which nearly dealt a blow to their chances of qualification.<\/p>\n However, in the final game, they drew goalless against Angola to secure a vital point, which helped them qualify for the 2025 AFCON.<\/p>\n After playing six matches in the 2025 AFCON Qualifiers, Sudan finished in second position in Group F with eight points. Angola topped the group with fourteen points, while Niger accumulated seven points, placing them in third position.<\/p>\n At the bottom of the group was Ghana, who accrued three points after losing at the Accra Sports Stadium 2-1.<\/p>\n Sudan joined Angola as the two teams that qualified from Group F. <\/p>\n The team scored five goals, conceded six, and kept two clean sheets. Sudan won two games, drawn two, and lost two.<\/p>\n Appiah will be aiming to put up an impressive performance in the 2025 AFCON in Morocco to enhance his legacy. <\/p>\n Watch the latest edition of Sports Debate below: <\/b><\/p>\n![\"James](\"https:\/\/cdn.ghanaweb.com\/imagelib\/pics\/915\/91519019.295.jpg\" "\\"James")
play video<\/span>James Kwasi Appiah is the head coach of Sudan<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n