South Sudan have made it through to the TotalEnergies AFCON Morocco 2025 qualification group stage after navigating past Sao Tome and Principe in the preliminary round.
South Sudan eliminated São Tomé on away goals rule, as both ties ended in draws, but the Bright Stars had a scored a precious goal away from home against their opponents.
South Sudan kept a clean-sheet as they drew 0-0 with São Tomé and Príncipe in the return leg played on Tuesday at Berkane Municipal Stadium.
The goalless draw was just the result South Sudan wanted to go through (at home) as the Bright Stars had also, scored an away goal to draw 1-1 when Sao Time hosted them four days ago at the same venue.
In the first leg tie played on Friday, March 22, Uganda Premier League (UPL) side NEC FC defender Joseph Dhata scored the all important goal for South Sudan.
Dhata scored direct from a freekick, from 48 meters to draw the game level in the 78th minute, canceling out their then hosts’ 50th minute goal.
South Sudan now Join Eswatini, Chad and Liberia on the list of nations that have made it past the preliminary qualifiers, at the expense of Sao Tome, Somalia, Mauritius and Djibouti respectively.
The post AFCON Qualifiers: Dhata’s Wonder Strike Sends South Sudan To Groups appeared first on Live from ground.
