Kwesi Appiah
Sudan Head Coach Kwesi Appiah has lauded the support his Zanzibar side has received during the ongoing African Nations Championship (CHAN) and vowed that his players will give their all in Saturday’s quarterfinal showdown against a North African opponent.
“The people of Zanzibar have been fantastic. We wouldn’t like to let them down in terms of the quality of our football,” Appiah said after his team’s latest outing.
The coach, who doubles as technical director of the Sudan national team, noted the warm connection his side has felt since arriving at the tournament.
“The Zanzibar people have similarities with our Sudanese people. They speak Arabic, so there was a bond from the time we came into the city. To our fans across the world, we will not let you down,” he assured.
Appiah reflected on the team’s steady rise in the competition, stressing their resilience against some of Africa’s toughest sides.
“We started the competition slowly but progressed to beat Nigeria and grind out a result against Senegal,” he explained.
“The more we advance, the better we get. Senegal isn’t a small country in terms of football. I knew we were in for a tough time. We had to sit back and hit on counters.”
The CHAN, staged every two years, is a continental competition exclusively for players active in their home leagues across Africa.
BY Wletsu Ransford