The Black Galaxies defeated their Sudanese opponents on a chilly Thursday night in Constantine, defying the enormous expectations of Ghanaians that were bearing down on them.
The Galaxies' victory over Sudan in their final Group C match, which was played at the Stade Mohamed-Hamlaoui, came as a result of their grit, willpower, and—most importantly—a deadly touch in front of goal.
Right from the beginning of the game, the Black Galaxies launched waves of attacks in an effort to score the opening goal. However, the Sudanese were well-organized, in stark contrast to the "vibes and inshallah" play of their Ghanaian opponents, and they easily kept them at bay.
After a rather brilliant Sudanese attack that lasted 31 minutes, they took the lead thanks to a nice finish from Al Gozoli Hussien Noah Mohamed. It appeared that the Black Galaxies' play would cost them once more due to its disorganization and lack of cohesion.
Ghanaians could have been excused for thinking the game would end in a snoozer and that their country would once again crash out of a continental tournament without taking home a single victory with the Galaxies trailing. That was not to be, as a first-half injury-time attack resulted in a corner.
Center-back Konadu Yiadom had a chance as a result of the ensuing set-piece, and he took advantage of it to score and tie the game for Ghana. The Sudanese were penalized when Daniel Afriyie Barnieh was fouled in the penalty area and scored the ensuing penalty in the 64th minute because they were unable to pass the better performing but still significantly worse Ghanaians.
The Galaxies kept trying to score a third goal to seal the victory as they gained momentum and started to play better as the game went on. Afriyie Barnieh scored again in the 80th minute, giving Ghana what appeared to be the security they needed, but the goal was disallowed following a VAR review. Although they failed to take advantage of their opportunities to score a crucial goal, the Sudanese were still in the game. The underdogs kept finding weaknesses in the Ghanaian defense to exploit.
Afriyie Barnieh, who had been outstanding the entire game, was dismissed in the 97th minute after receiving a straight red card for allegedly stamping on a Sudanese player's shin. The Sudanese players, buoyed by their numerical advantage, surged forward in search of an equalizer, but their overconfidence backfired as a quick counterattack by the Galaxies resulted in a third goal for Ghana from substitute Seidu Suraj.
The Black Galaxies won 3-1 after 90 minutes, which brought joy to Ghanaians because it put their country on the path to the knockout rounds. When Sudan and Madagascar square off in the group's final match on Monday, January 23, which you can watch live on GTV Sports, it will be determined whether qualification from the group has been assured.
If that game goes well, the Black Galaxies should be able to advance to the knockout stages.