Yahoo Sport 
Former Bristol City, Peterborough United and Cheltenham Town striker Mo Eisa celebrates Sudan's Afcon qualification as beacon of hope amid crisis
Former Cheltenham Town striker Mo Eisa hopes Sudan's remarkable qualification for next year's Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) can put smiles on faces amid troubled times.
The Falcons of Jediane, as they are known, defied the country's civil war to seal their place in the finals, which will be held in Morocco from December 21 next year.
Sudan have had to play home ties on neutral ground, while their domestic league has been suspended since the conflict started in April last year.
The national team needed a point from their last two group fixtures and after a 4-0 defeat by Niger, they claimed a 0-0 draw against Angola in Libya.
Eisa, who now plays for Nassaji Mazandaran in the Persian Gulf Pro League, made his international debut against Togo in November last year.
"I am very proud to help my country qualify for Afcon," Eisa told Gloucestershire Live.
"It's the goal we set out so we are very happy we achieved it in a difficult group and while our country is going through a difficult period, it's nice to put a smile on Sudanese people's faces."
Eisa has relished the chance to play alongside his younger brother Abo, formerly of Shrewsbury Town, Bradford City and Grimsby Town and now playing his club football in Thailand.
"It’s always special," Mo said. "It’s very rare to play alongside my brother, but we have to chance now to play at Afcon together, which is going to be nice."
The Eisa brothers made their debut in the same game, with Mo scoring in the first half before being replaced at half-time by Abo.
"It's an honour to represent your country and scoring on my debut was a proud moment," Mo said.
"I had a feeling I would score and it was a great moment and now I want to score in my first Afcon with the national team."
Now 30, Mo joined Cheltenham from Greenwich Borough in the summer of 2017 after a successful trial period.
He went on to score 25 goals in his one year with the club before being signed by Bristol City in a deal worth around £1.5m in total.
"It was my best season," Eisa reflected. "I believed in myself even though it was my first season in professional football, but I couldn’t do it without the manager Gary Johnson, so I owe it all to him.
"That year started my career of course, coming from non-league. I had to make a name for myself, I knew what I had to do and it was the perfect club for me; I love the club."
