Kwasi Appiah holds advantage over Ghana in AFCON qualifiers - Laryea Kingston

Former Ghana midfielder Laryea Kingston believes coach Kwasi Appiah will have an edge when Sudan faces Ghana in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers.

The draw on Friday placed Ghana in Group F alongside Sudan, Angola, and Niger. The pairing of Otto Addo, the current Ghana coach, and Kwasi Appiah, the former Ghana coach and current manager of Sudan, has sparked discussions. Appiah led the Black Stars to the 2014 World Cup and the 2019 AFCON.

"Kwasi Appiah is a Ghanaian, and he knows how we approach games," Kingston told 3Sports after the draw. "He knows a lot of positives about Ghanaians and our mindset, so I think it's going to be very difficult for us. Kwasi Appiah will have an advantage as he knows us more than Otto will know the Sudanese players."

Appiah's success with Sudan in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers strengthens Kingston's point. Sudan currently tops Group B with 10 points after four matches.

"If I were in Kwasi Appiah's shoes now, it would be a game I would be looking forward to," Kingston continued. "There are so many things I will have to prove and show that I still have what it takes to lead this country. It is going to be one of the best games in Otto's time with the Black Stars."

The qualifiers are scheduled to begin in September 2024 and conclude in November 2024. The top two teams from each group will advance to the AFCON finals in Morocco, set for December 2025 to January 2026.