Eritrea secured a 2-0 victory over Eswatini in the first leg of their TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations qualifier held in Meknes, Morocco. This match marked a significant milestone for Eritrea, as it was their first continental qualifier in almost 20 years.
The opening goal came in the 81st minute when Siem Eyob-Abraha found the back of the net, giving Eritrea the lead. Just four minutes into added time, Ali Suleiman scored the second goal, solidifying the victory with a final score of 2-0.
Despite the win, Eritrea faced a setback during the match when they missed a penalty, which could have increased their lead. This match was particularly notable as Eritrea’s last TotalEnergies CAF AFCON qualifier was against Eswatini in September 2007.
The return leg of the qualifier is scheduled to take place in Eswatini on Tuesday next week, where both teams will look to secure a favorable outcome. Observers are keen to see how Eswatini will respond after this defeat and whether they can turn the tide in their home match.
The match served as the opening of the TotalEnergies CAF AFCON PAMOJA 2027 Preliminary Round qualifiers, setting the stage for what promises to be an exciting tournament ahead.
