Sudan goalkeeper Monged Elneel collapses on pitch during AFCON match

The match, which was the second Group E fixture for both sides after defeats in their opening games, was seen as crucial in the race for qualification. However, the contest was overshadowed by the incident in the 37th minute, when Elneel fell to the ground near the edge of his penalty area without any contact.

Medical staff rushed onto the pitch immediately, and after several minutes of treatment, Elneel was deemed fit to resume the match. Subsequent reports confirmed that the goalkeeper had experienced low blood sugar, with no further complications detected.

Despite the scare, Elneel went on to deliver an impressive performance, keeping a clean sheet for Sudan. The match ended in a 1-0 victory for Sudan, with Equatorial Guinea defender Saul Coco scoring an own goal in the 74th minute.

The win marked Sudan’s first victory at AFCON 2025 and kept their hopes of reaching the round of 16 alive ahead of their final group match against Burkina Faso.

In the other Group E match, Algeria defeated Burkina Faso 1-0 thanks to a goal from Riyad Mahrez in the 23rd minute, securing qualification for the knockout stage. The final round of Group E fixtures will be played at 11:00 PM (GMT+7) on 31 December.

AFCON 2025 features 24 teams divided into six groups. After the group stage, the top two teams from each group and the four best third-placed teams will advance to the round of 16, which begins on 3 January.