An unlucky 74th-minute own-goal by Saul Coco gifted Sudan a 1-0 win over Equatorial Guinea, reviving their AFCON campaign and moving them into third place in Group E.
Sudan secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Equatorial Guinea in their second Group E fixture of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations at the Mohamed V Stadium.
In a tightly contested encounter in Casablanca, the deadlock was finally broken in the 74th minute through an unfortunate own-goal by Equatorial Guinea defender Saul Coco.
The result propels Sudan to third place in the group standings, keeping their hopes of progression alive as they head into the final round.
The first half was a disjointed affair characterized by physical play and frequent injury stoppages. Equatorial Guinea suffered an early setback when Santiago Eneme was forced off just before the half-hour mark, replaced by Josete Miranda.
Neither side managed to seriously test goalkeepers Jesus Owono or Monged El Neel during the opening 45 minutes, with the match remaining scoreless at the interval as both teams struggled to establish a consistent attacking rhythm.
Sudan’s second-half performance improved significantly following the introduction of Yasir Mozamil, who injected much-needed energy into the attack.
After Coco’s own-goal handed Sudan the lead, Equatorial Guinea introduced veteran striker Emilio Nsue in a desperate search for an equalizer.
Nsue went close with a powerful effort that whistled past the post, but Sudan held firm to claim the three points. Sudan will next face Burkina Faso, while Equatorial Guinea conclude their campaign against Algeria.