AFCON 2021 qualifiers: Black Stars clash with Sudan to be played behind closed doors

The Black Stars of Ghana AFCON 2021 qualifying match against Sudan is set to be played behind closed doors.

This comes after the Confédération African of Football (CAF) set guidelines to strengthen the security system ahead of the resumption of the AFCON2021 qualifiers.

The last time the AFCON qualifiers were played was in November 2019 because of the Coronavirus pandemic which wreaked havoc across the world earlier this year.

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As the games (matchday 3 & 4) are set to continue from November 9 through to November 17, the African football governing body has set out rules to guide the competition.

In a statement, CAF said that the qualifiers will be played without the fans but also gave an exception to the rule.

“According to CAF's Covid-19 protocol, all matches must be played behind closed doors, without spectators,” the statement continued.

“However, if the government of the host Association wants spectators to be present, then the Association in question will need to obtain CAF's approval.

“In the event of exceptional situations other than those mentioned above, the Organizing Committee will be consulted for a final decision.”

Also, at the CAF Emergency Committee held on November 6, they came to the conclusion that the number of substitution has been increased to five as it is been done in the rest of the world. 

"Each match must be played if the team has at least eleven (11) players (including a goalkeeper) and four (4) substitutes,” read a statement from the club website.

“If a team cannot travel to the host country and/or venue of a match due to any travel or other restriction relating to Covid-19, the team in question will be considered to have lost the match 2-0.

“If a team does not have the minimum number of players required, at least eleven (11) players (including a goalkeeper) and four (4) substitutes), the team in question will be considered to have lost the match 2-0.

“The number of authorized substitutions is limited to five (5) players per team. Each team will have three opportunities to make these substitutions during the match.”

Ghana will on Thursday, November 12, 2020 take on the North Africans in the first of a doubleheader tie at the Cape Coast stadium, before travelling to Khartoum, five days later for the reverse fixture.