Eritrea's Triumphant Return: Shock Victory Over Eswatini

Eritrea achieved an unexpected victory over Eswatini, winning 2-0 in their opening match of the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. This marked Eritrea's first participation in such an event in 19 years, having not played internationally since a 2020 match against Sudan.

The match, hosted in Morocco due to local stadium inadequacies, saw goals by Ali Sulieman and a late strike from a corner in the 83rd minute. Eritrea's squad featured players from several countries, with newly-appointed coach Hesham Yakan leading the charge.

Historically, Eritrean players have defected during international matches, but a policy shift has allowed their team to compete abroad once again. The bottom 12 FIFA-ranked African teams are currently vying for a spot in the 2027 qualifiers set to commence in September.