AFCON (Q): Eritrea end long absence with convincing 1st leg win

Eritrea returned to the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) preliminary round qualifiers in style after sweeping aside Eswatini 2-0 in the first-leg match played at Stade d’Honneur de Meknes in Morocco. A missed penalty and the Red Sea Camels’ fighting spirit were the highlights of the encounter, as the Sihlangu SeMnikati continued their winless run in all competitions.

Eritrea returned to the AFCON qualifiers for the first time in 19 years, and they made sure their comeback was not in vain. They started the tie on a bright note, even as Eswatini dominated the midfield.

Eritrea coach Hesham Yakan opted for a fast-break approach, and they nearly went ahead after Ali Sulieman failed to finish a swift counterattack. The Egypt-based forward was wasteful during the first half, as he squandered another chance by missing a penalty kick at the stroke of halftime.

Eswatini substitute goalkeeper Qiniso Nyawo pulled off a superb save to deny Sulieman. The visitors had two golden opportunities during the half, but Yonatan Sultan denied them two clear scoring chances.

After the resumption, Eswatini looked to control the game. Nonetheless, the home side’s solid defensive display kept Eswatini at bay for the larger part of the half. The East African team broke the deadlock nine minutes before time when team captain Ablelom Teklezghi flicked in a corner kick from Nahom Tadese. In-form striker Sulieman made it two in the dying moments of the game from a very tight angle.

2-0 in favor of Eritrea 🇪🇷 over Eswatini 🇸🇿 to kick off 2027 #TotalEnergiesAFCON qualifying in Morocco, their first victory in AFCON or World Cup qualifying since 2007!

The teams will meet again on March 31 for the 2nd leg in Eswatini. #AFCON #AFCON2027 #AFCON2027Q #AFCONQ pic.twitter.com/Gdca6tv7Ea

— Pan-Africa Football (@PanAfricaFooty) March 25, 2026

Their last win in all competitions came in 2019, when they thrashed Kenya 4-1 in the semifinal of the CECAFA Championship in Uganda. Coincidentally, their last AFCON qualifier match was against Swaziland (now Eswatini) on September 9, 2007, as they settled for a barren draw. The two teams will meet for the second leg in Eswatini on March 31.