L-R: Mohammed Kudus, Jordan Ayew and Inaki Williams
When the Black Stars suffered a disappointing double-header loss against Sudan in the 2025 African Cup of Nations Qualifiers, it was a frustrating and agonizing time for the players.
However, this setback turned into a blessing in disguise for many Ghanaian players when they returned to their clubs in the Premier League.
For the games against Sudan, coach Otto Addo called up six of Ghana’s Premier League players: captain Thomas Partey, Mohammed Kudus, Jordan Ayew, Antoine Semenyo, Fatawu Issahaku, and Tariq Lamptey.
Partey was the only player who didn’t honor the invitation, as Arsenal informed the Ghana Football Association (GFA) about his apparent illness.
Despite the GFA requesting proof of his condition, Arsenal simply replied, “The player feels uncomfortable traveling for that number of hours just for assessment, so we should rethink our decision,” stated Henry Asante Twum, Communications Director of the GFA.
The Black Stars proceeded to play the two crucial AFCON qualifiers without Partey, with Kudus stepping up as the skipper.
The first leg ended in a stalemate, but in the return fixture, Sudan stunned the Black Stars with a 2-0 victory.
Upon returning to their clubs in the Premier League, the Black Stars players turned the tide in their favor.
Kudus led the way for West Ham, scoring the first goal in their match against Tottenham. Unfortunately, the Hammers suffered a 4-1 defeat, and Kudus was sent off, but his goal still brought a smile to his face.
Fatawu Issahaku and Jordan Ayew also had stellar performances for Leicester City, proving themselves as heroes for the Foxes.
Fatawu inspired a comeback from two goals down with a crucial assist, while Jordan stole the show with a stunning winning goal in a 3-2 triumph over Southampton.
Tariq Lamptey did not play a second in Brighton’s game against Newcastle, but his presence was enough as they clinched a 2-0 win and three points in the bag.
As coach Kwasi Appiah stated after Sudan’s victory over Ghana, “Only one of us can go through,” and that’s precisely what unfolded when Antoine Semenyo faced Thomas Partey in Bournemouth’s game against Arsenal. Arsenal had never lost to Bournemouth since 2015.
In 14 matches, the least the Gunners had settled for with the Cherries were two draws and 12 wins. Bournemouth beat Arsenal 2-0, with Partey playing the entire duration.
Although Semenyo didn’t find the back of the net, his contributions on the pitch made the difference in the win.
The defeat also marked Mikel Arteta’s first fall after eight duels in the 2024/25 Premier League season.
Ghanaians react to Black Stars’ 2-0 defeat to Sudan
