Appiah: Sudan’s CHAN fitness woes stem from lack of domestic league

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 capitalize 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.

“I’ve had to do a lot of meetings just to get the players mentally ready to play at this level. It’s not easy, but I have to keep motivating them to believe in themselves and the team’s abilities.”

With a week to go before their next match, Appiah is hoping to use the time wisely to address the fitness and tactical issues that have hampered his team’s performances so far.

“We have a week to prepare,” he said. “That gives me a chance to adjust the team and improve things. We’ll work on our weaknesses and come back stronger against Nigeria.”

The former Ghana national team boss also took time to commend Congo for their spirited display, especially in the second half, where they increased the pressure and eventually found the equaliser their performance deserved.

“Congo played well,” Appiah said. “You can’t underrate any team at this level. They deserved the draw. Our performance dropped a bit after the first half, and we’ll learn from that.”

Sudan will next face Nigeria on 12 August in what is shaping up to be a pivotal Group D clash. The CHAN Eagles are also looking to bounce back after their narrow 1-0 defeat to defending champions Senegal, setting the stage for a fiercely contested match.

Appiah remains optimistic, determined to steer Sudan towards qualification despite the odds stacked against them.

“The fight is still on, and we’re determined to make a strong comeback,” he declared.