Sudan national team head coach Kwesi Appiah has remained confident they will compete to the end of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) with a mission to lift the trophy in Morocco.

The East African nation secured a 1-0 victory over Equatorial Guinea at Mohamed V Stadium in Casablanca to blow Group E wide open on Sunday. The winning goal came in the 74th minute after the first half had produced a goalless scoreline.

“As I keep saying, it is not an easy task, but once you take part in a competition, the ambition is not to be part of the competition, or come out of at the group stages.

“The ambition is how can I play well to make sure I win this competition. As at now, we did not start well, but the most important thing is to make sure we win our games, to make sure we win the AFCON. That is our aim.

“We achieved what mattered most, and we are mindful of these objectives of reaching the furthest stage possible. We are not here to just participate.”

Appiah concluded: “Our mission is not to win one game, but to go all the way and lift the AFCON.”