JOHANNESBURG: Sudan overcame the handicap of being unable to play at home due to a civil war by defeating Niger 1-0 when 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying kicked off on Wednesday.
They were the only victors with the other three matches, between Comoros and Gambia, Libya and Rwanda and Tanzania and Ethiopia, all drawn.
Fighting between the national army and a paramilitary force in Sudan erupted in April 2023, forcing the national team to train and play abroad since.
Sudan hosted Niger in Juba, capital of neighboring South Sudan, and a 51st-minute goal from Thailand-based Abo Eisa secured maximum Group F points.
Comoros were another country who could not play at home because there is no international-standard stadium in the country.
They hosted Gambia in the Moroccan Atlantic city of El Jadida and broke the Group A deadlock on 37 minutes through Youssouf M’Changama.
Saudi Pro League midfielder Musa Barrow levelled in first-half added time for the Gambians, and there were no further goals.
The Group D opener between Libya and Rwanda in Tripoli also finished 1-1 with Subhi al Dhawi netting after 17 minutes and Innocent Nshuli equalising two minutes into the second half.
Ethiopia did not manage one shot on target as they drew 0-0 with Tanzania in Group H in Dar es Salaam.
There are seven qualifiers scheduled for Thursday with four former African champions — Algeria, Congo Brazzaville, Ghana and Tunisia — among the nations in action.
Homeless Sudan begin AFCON campaign with victory
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Homeless Sudan begin AFCON campaign with victory
- They were the only victors with the other three matches, between Comoros and Gambia, Libya and Rwanda and Tanzania and Ethiopia, all drawn
- Sudan hosted Niger in Juba, capital of neighboring South Sudan, and a 51st-minute goal from Thailand-based Abo Eisa secured maximum Group F points
Sabalenka debuts engagement ring during Indian Wells win
- World number one sported the striking oval-cut diamond ring for the first time in competition after getting engaged to Georgios Frangulis late on Tuesday
INDIAN WELLS, California: Aryna Sabalenka’s performance in a 6-4 6-2 second-round win over Japan’s Himeno Sakatsume was not the only thing that dazzled at Indian Wells on Friday, with the world number one also showing off her shiny new engagement ring.
The 27-year-old sported the striking oval-cut diamond ring for the first time in competition after getting engaged to Georgios Frangulis late on Tuesday.
“It feels super comfortable and shiny,” she told reporters.
“We double-checked if there was a possibility to lose the diamond, and there was none. I was pretty confident wearing it, hoping it might even distract my opponent.”
Sabalenka, who has made the final of the WTA 1000 event twice in the last three years, said that while the proposal came as a complete surprise to her, the entire team was in on the engagement secret.
“I saw Georgios and I was crying half of the time, because I thought that I looked ugly, not prepared, and this is such a beautiful moment,” she said.
“I stopped everything, and I asked the videographer and the photographer to make sure that my face was not (in the pictures), just the ring, and side views and from the back, just so you guys wouldn’t be shocked by the way I looked.
“But it was a beautiful moment.”
Sabalenka was asked what she has learned about Frangulis, the CEO of global health-food brand OakBerry, and what he has learned about her since they began dating in 2024.
“What I have learned about him? He likes Oakberry a lot,” the four-times Grand Slam champion said. “What he has learned about me? That I’m crazy,” she added with a laugh.
