Sudan reaches quarters for first time in 42 years

BATA, Equatorial Guinea (AP) ― Sudan reached the quarterfinals of the African Cup of Nations for the first time in 42 years on Monday, beating Burkina Faso 2-1 to end an 11-game winless streak at the tournament and edge out Angola on goal difference.

Mudather Tayeb scored both of Sudan’s goals at Estadio de Bata to deliver the nation’s biggest football moment since it won the African Cup on home soil in 1970. It was Sudan’s first victory in the four tournaments it’s played at since that triumph.

Mudather broke clear to beat Burkina Faso goalkeeper Daouda Diakite in the 33rd minute and then punished a mistake by the keeper with 10 minutes to go to dramatically carry Sudan through, despite a goal in the seventh minute of stoppage time by substitute Issiaka Ouedraogo which caused a nerve-fraying final few moments for the Sudanese.

Angola needed just a point from its final match to progress but lost 2-0 to already-qualified Ivory Coast in Group B’s other game in Malabo, surrendering second place to Sudan and being eliminated after conceding one more goal in the group stage.

“This generation has achieved a good victory for Sudanese football,” coach Mohamed Abdallah said. “We proved that we can play against big teams with a completely local team, and the second youngest team in the championship with the average age of 24. We won the championship in 1970 and now we’re back with this generation that I hope have the confidence to continue the winning ways.”

It came down to overall goal difference for Sudan and Angola ― who both finished on four points-after the teams drew 2-2 in their group meeting.

Burkina Faso slipped to its third straight defeat and didn’t help Angola’s cause by missing a string of chances, the worst of which came from Ouedraogo in the 85th when he shot over from right in front of the goal.