Soccer-Sudan team hopes Cup of Nations success can end war

By Mark Gleeson

TANGIER, Morocco, Jan 2 (Reuters) – Sudan hopes an upset win over Senegal in the Africa Cup of Nations on Saturday could prove a catalyst for a cessation of hostilities in their country, or even a longer peace, coach Kwesi Appiah said on Friday.

Sudan’s team has reached the knockout stage of the competition for only the second time since they won the tournament in 1970, overcoming the immense difficulties of being exiled from their country because of the war.

The paramilitary group – which grew from the “Janjaweed” militia mobilised two decades ago by Sudan’s government to subdue its western Darfur province – has been fighting the Sudanese army since April 2023 when the two fell out over how to integrate their forces.

The conflict has since killed tens of thousands of people, displaced millions and spread famine across the vast country.

Despite the conflict, Sudan’s football team have continued to play in exile and against the odds qualified for the Cup of Nations in Morocco, where they will meet the heavily fancied Senegal in the first of the last-16 matches at the weekend.

“Most of the time I try to run away from these questions because the emotions are terrible,” said a visibly upset Appiah at a press conference when asked about the impact of the war on his team.

“It is not something that we want to talk about, but we are hoping that if we win it will let the war calm down or even cease.

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“There was a game we won (in recent World Cup qualifying) when the armies put their guns down and everyone was celebrating. Football can change things in this world,” added the Ghanaian born coach.

Sudan has not played a home match over the last three years with its footballing infrastructure damaged. The country’s top two clubs have moved to Rwanda, where they are competing as guests in the local league and Khartoum’s Al Hilal have also made it to the group phase of this season’s Champions League.

“Playing away from home and under these circumstances that you are all aware of, is very difficult,” added captain Bakhit Khamis.

“It’s very hard on us to live away from our families, from our homes. We are trying to cope with these circumstances, trying to please our fans, and hopefully things will get better. Everything we are doing on the pitch is an attempt to make things better for our people,” he said.

(Writing by Mark Gleeson in Tangier; editing by Pritha Sarkar)