MATCH STATS: Equatorial Guinea vs Sudan – TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 Group E

Equatorial Guinea and Sudan both come into this Group E fixture searching for their first points at the 2025 TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations after suffering defeats on Matchday One.

The encounter will be played at the Stade Mohamed V in Casablanca on 28 December, with kick-off at 16h00 local time (15h00 GMT).

This will be the first meeting between the two nations at the Africa Cup of Nations finals.

Their only previous encounters came during qualification for the 2019 AFCON, with Equatorial Guinea winning both matches.

The first meeting on 8 September 2018 saw Equatorial Guinea claim a 1-0 home victory in Bata, Emilio Nsue scoring the decisive goal in the 30th minute.

The return fixture on 22 March 2019 in Sudan ended in a 4-1 away win for Equatorial Guinea. Saif Tere gave Sudan a 15th-minute lead, but an Nsue brace from the penalty spot, along with goals from Pablo Ganet and Pedro Obiang, completed the turnaround.

Neither side progressed to the 2019 AFCON finals in Egypt, with Senegal and Madagascar finishing ahead of them in the qualifying group.

 

PAST MEETINGS

OVERALL
Equatorial Guinea: P2 W2 D0 L0 GF5 GA1 GD+4
Sudan: P2 W0 D0 L2 GF1 GA5 GD-4

AFCON ONLY
No previous AFCON meetings

 

Equatorial Guinea – Key Statistics

·       Began the tournament with a 2-1 loss to Burkina Faso.

·       Took the lead through Marvin Anieboh before conceding twice in second-half stoppage time.

·       Anieboh scored Equatorial Guinea’s second-ever headed goal at AFCON, after the first against Senegal in 2012.

·       It was Anieboh’s first international goal in his 22nd appearance.

·       His goal was Equatorial Guinea’s only shot on target against Burkina Faso.

·       The defeat marked the first time they have lost an AFCON match after scoring first.

·       In their last two AFCON defeats, the winning goal has been conceded eight minutes into second-half stoppage time.

·       Have lost their last two AFCON matches, including the 2023 Round of 16 loss to Guinea.

·       The only other time they lost consecutive AFCON matches was in 2012 against Zambia and Côte d’Ivoire.

·       A defeat would see them lose successive group games at AFCON for the first time.

·       A defeat would also mark their first run of three consecutive AFCON losses.

·       Failure to win would mean starting an AFCON without a victory in their first two games for the second time, after 2015.

·       Record in second group games: P4 W3 D1 L0.

·       They have never lost their second group game at AFCON.

·       Beat Senegal 2-1 in their second group game in 2012 and drew 0-0 with Burkina Faso in 2015.

·       Have won their last two second group games, against Algeria in 2021 and Guinea-Bissau in 2023.

·       After losing their opening game in 2021, they recovered to win their next two group matches.

·       Have lost four of their last six AFCON matches, having lost only four of their first 14.

·       The loss to Burkina Faso ended a five-game unbeaten run in AFCON group matches.

·       Have scored in their last six AFCON group games.

·       Had a player sent off in their last two AFCON matches, Basilo Ndong in this tournament and Bikoro in 2023.

·       Recorded just 33% possession against Burkina Faso.

 

Sudan – Key Statistics

·       The defeat to Algeria extended Sudan’s winless run at AFCON to eight matches (D4 L4).

·       Have scored in just one of their last five AFCON games.

·       Their last AFCON victory came against Burkina Faso in the group stage in 2012.

·       That remains their only win in their last 17 AFCON matches.

·       Have lost their last three AFCON matches.

·       Last lost four in a row when losing all three group games in 2008 and their opening match in 2012.

·       Failed to score in their opening AFCON match for a fourth consecutive finals.

·       Have conceded three goals in six of their last 11 AFCON matches.

·       Five of their last 11 AFCON defeats have been by a 3-0 scoreline.

·       Lost their opening group game for the third time, after 2008 and 2012.

·       In 2008 they lost all three group games, while in 2012 they recovered to reach the quarter-finals.

·       Salah Adil’s red card against Algeria was Sudan’s first AFCON sending-off since 2012.

·       Sudan had previously gone three AFCON matches without a red card.

·       Coach Kwesi Appiah has now failed to win his opening match in all three AFCON tournaments he has coached.

·       The loss to Algeria was the heaviest defeat Appiah has suffered as a coach at AFCON.

·       In previous tournaments, Appiah’s teams have won or drawn their second group games.