2027 AFCON: Yakan: ‘Eritrea versus Eswatini a cup final’

Eritrea national team coach Hasham Yakan has declared their away match against Eswatini on Tuesday as equal to a cup final.

The Red Sea Camels have travelled to the Southern African country to fulfil a preliminary round fixture of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers.

Eritrean referees selected for AFCON 2023 encounter qualifier tie in Ugandahttps://t.co/DxdvTD1Tcx pic.twitter.com/pN9e9OngyX

— ENFF (@ENFFonline) May 18, 2022

For long considered as underdogs, Eritrea will go into the AFCON preliminary round qualifying second leg match as favourites to progress to the group stage.

Why Eritrea will go into match as favourites

It is all thanks to the Egyptian who wasted no time in impressing his employers the Eritrea National Football Federation (ENFF). Yakan led the Red Sea Camels to their rare 2-0 victory over the Sihlangu in Morocco last week.

Red Sea FC midfielder Ablelom Teklezgi came off the bench to score for the Red Sea Camels in the 82nd minute before Sulieman Ibrahim made it 2-0 two minutes of added time.

Now going into the second leg, the 64-year-old has urged his boys to display the same energy, attitude and fighting spirit in the reverse fixture.

Yakan makes his demand to Red Sea Camels players

According to the ENFF website, Yakan made it clear that they have put behind the first leg result, and the focus is now on the return leg at the Somhlolo National Stadium in Lobamba, Eswatini.

“It is good we carry the advantage after winning the first leg. But we should now go and play the return leg like a cup final because we shall be facing a team that will have the home support,” said the coach.

Eritrea captain Ablelom Teklezghi echoed his coach’s remarks, saying the players are ready to give it their all in Eswatini.

Eritrea can seal their place in the group stage of the AFCON qualifying rounds with any draw.

The overall winner between Sihlangu and the Red Seal Camels will join seeded teams in the group stage that will eventually determine finalists for the next AFCON which Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania will co-host.