Kwesi Appiah Makes AFCON History 5 Years After Ghana FA Sacking
- Five years after being sacked by the Ghana FA, Kwesi Appiah completed a remarkable turnaround by setting a new AFCON record with Sudan
- Kwesi Appiah managed the Black Stars at the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa and the 2019 AFCON in Egypt
- From heartbreak in Ghana to history with Sudan, how Appiah transformed his career and rewrote AFCON records
On January 3, 2020, when the Ghana Football Association (GFA) relieved Black Stars head coach Kwesi Appiah of his duties, few would have imagined that five years later, he would go on to make history at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) with another country.
The GFA announced that it had disbanded the technical teams of all national sides, effective immediately.
The decision, described as a wide-ranging overhaul, came shortly after the association came under new leadership in October 2019, following a year managed by a normalisation committee.
Source: Getty Images
Kurt E.S. Okraku emerged victorious in the GFA presidential elections held on October 29, 2019, and his administration did not trust Kwesi Appiah, who led Ghana's exit from the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt, where they won only one match after group play.
Kwesi Appiah, along with his coaching team that included former Ghana internationals Richard Kingson, Charles “CK” Akonnor, and Stephen Appiah, was the most notable name affected, although changes were made across every level of the national setup, as the BBC reported.
Kwesi Appiah takes over Sudan job
In September 2023, Kwesi Appiah was appointed head coach of the Sudan national team while simultaneously serving as Technical Director of Asante Kotoko in a dual role.
He guided Sudan to qualification for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, where he went on to set a new record for a Ghanaian coach in the tournament.
He led Sudan to a 1-0 victory over Equatorial Guinea on Sunday, December 28, during their second group stage fixture.
France 24 reported that the decisive goal was scored by Coco, who calmly finished a well-delivered cross past goalkeeper Jesús Owono in the 74th minute.
The strike brought an end to Sudan’s eight-match winless run at the Africa Cup of Nations, a sequence that included a loss to Algeria just four days earlier.
The victory leaves Sudan on three points, level with Burkina Faso, whom they will face in their final group match in Casablanca on Wednesday at 16:00 GMT. Algeria, also on three points, are set to take on Burkina Faso in Rabat later on Sunday at 17:30 GMT.
Kwesi Appiah creates history
After guiding Sudan to victory over Equatorial Guinea, Kwesi Appiah has etched his name into the record books as the first Ghanaian coach to record wins at the Africa Cup of Nations finals with two different nations.
At the 2013 AFCON in South Africa, the former Asante Kotoko and Black Stars midfielder steered Ghana to the semi-finals, going unbeaten through regulation time with three wins and two draws.
Ghana’s campaign eventually ended in the last four, where they were knocked out by Burkina Faso following a penalty shootout.
Appiah also won a game with the Black Stars during the 2019 tournament in Egypt, as Ghana were eliminated after the group stage.
Source: Getty Images
Kwesi Appiah makes big Sudan history
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that Coach James Kwesi Appiah made history in Sudanese football, leading the Falcons of Jediane to a memorable AFCON victory.
The win marked Sudan’s first Africa Cup of Nations triumph in 13 years, earning widespread praise for Appiah’s tactical brilliance and leadership.
Proofreading by Omoleye Omoruyi, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.
Source: YEN.com.gh
