2021 AFCON: ‘Underestimate Sudan At Your Peril’ - Former EPL Star Warns Super Eagles

(completesports.com)

Former Newcastle, Fulham and Sunderland midfielder Lee Clark, has warned the Super Eagles of Nigeria and other teams not to underestimate Sudan ahead of the 2021 AFCON in Cameroon.

Sudan, winners of the 1970 AFCON on home soil, will face the Eagles, Egypt and Guinea-Bissau in Group D at this year’s edition.

They will be playing at the AFCON this month for the first time since 2012.

And despite the side relying heavily on locally-based players Clark, a former coach of Sudanese club Al-Merrikh, says there is enough talent in the country.

“Sudanese football is on the up,” the 49-year-old current coach of Al-Ittihad of Oman told BBC Sport Africa.

“I had a big group of players who were playing a big part in that [national team], so the standard was good, the players were so respectful — very, very hard working, listened to every word you said.

“I was at the qualification game against South Africa when everyone had Sudan as the underdog, and there they played terrifically well that night, and fully deserved the win to qualify.

“I think they enjoy the underdog tag, I think they enjoy the experience. They have some very, very talented players – underestimate them at your peril.”

He added:“I think they’ll be excited by coming up against these countries (at the AFCON) and they’ll not worry about the challenge.

“They’ll see it as a great opportunity for them as a country to put themselves on the map and to try and upset the big guys.”

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