The action in AFCON 2025 Group E reaches a boiling point today, Sunday, December 28, 2025, as Equatorial Guinea face Sudan at the Stade Mohamed V in Casablanca.
Both teams enter this Matchday 2 fixture with zero points after heartbreaking opening-day defeats. For the "National Thunder" and the "Falcons of Jediane," today is about survival; a second loss would likely signal an early exit from the tournament in Morocco.
Match Details
Competition: 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (Group E)
Kick-off: 15:00 GMT / 16:00 Local / 18:00 EAT
Venue: Stade Mohamed V, Casablanca, Morocco
Referee: Messi Jessie (Congo)
Current Form: Stoppage-Time Heartbreak vs. Heavy Defeat
Equatorial Guinea: Searching for Resilience
Equatorial Guinea’s opening match against Burkina Faso was a rollercoaster of emotions. Despite playing with ten men for nearly half the game, they took a shock lead in the 85th minute through Marvin Anieboh. However, a defensive collapse in stoppage time saw them concede twice to lose 2-1. They are a disciplined side, but the psychological toll of that late defeat will be their biggest hurdle today.
Sudan: The Uphill Battle
Sudan’s return to the continental stage started in the worst possible way—a 3-0 thrashing at the hands of Algeria. Reduced to ten men before halftime, the Falcons were unable to contain the Desert Warriors' clinical attack. Coach James Kwesi Appiah faces a massive task in tightening a defense that has now conceded three or more goals in three of their last five competitive matches.
Team News & Predicted Lineups
Equatorial Guinea Team News
The National Thunder will be missing a key defensive piece due to the red card picked up in the opener. However, they rely heavily on their European-based core, including Omar Mascarell (Mallorca) and Saul Coco (Torino).
Key Player: Iban Salvador, whose creative spark and set-piece delivery remain Equatorial Guinea's primary attacking outlet.
Predicted XI (4-4-2): Owono; Akapo, Esteban Obiang, Saul Coco, Ondo; Iban Salvador, Mascarell, Ganet, Asue; Loren Zuniga, Machin.
Sudan Team News
Sudan will be without midfielder Salah Adel, who is suspended following his red card against Algeria. The Falcons will look to the Eisa brothers (Mohamed and Abo) to provide the clinical edge that was missing in their opening game.
Key Player: Mohamed Eisa, who will need to make the most of the limited chances Sudan creates on the counter.
Predicted XI (4-3-3): El Neel; Awad, Ereng, Karshom, Khamis; Abdalla, Abdelrazig Omer, Taifour; Abo Eisa, Mohamed Eisa, Mozamil.
Head-to-Head: Dominance for the "National Thunder"
The historical record is brief but heavily favors Equatorial Guinea.
Total Meetings: 2 (AFCON 2019 Qualifiers).
Results: Equatorial Guinea won both matches (1-0 and 4-1).
AFCON History: This is their first-ever meeting in the final tournament of the Africa Cup of Nations.
Tactical Breakdown: Pragmatism vs. Physicality
Equatorial Guinea’s Transition Game
Expect Equatorial Guinea to dominate possession. Under their current system, they prefer a mid-block that transitions quickly into a wide attack, utilizing the pace of Luis Asue. They are dangerous from corners and indirect free-kicks, which could be a weakness for a Sudanese side that struggled with aerial duels against Algeria.
Sudan’s Defensive Shield
James Kwesi Appiah is likely to deploy a very defensive 4-5-1 or 5-4-1 today. Knowing that another heavy loss would be disastrous, Sudan will focus on closing the internal channels and forcing Equatorial Guinea into speculative long-range shots. Their hope lies in the pace of Yasir Mozamil on the break.
Match Prediction: A Narrow Escape
Equatorial Guinea showed much more quality in their opening game than the result suggested. While Sudan will fight with typical physicality, the technical superiority of the Equatoguinean midfield should eventually wear them down.
Final Score Prediction: Equatorial Guinea 1–0 Sudan
