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Eritrea have reached the main group stage of Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifying following a 19-year absence.<\/b><\/p>\n
They beat Eswatini 4-1 on aggregate in the preliminary round ahead of next year’s tournament in East Africa.<\/p>\n
Forward Ali Sulieman, who plays for Kahrabaa Ismaila in the Egyptian top flight, was the hero with three goals across the two legs.<\/p>\n
Without a stadium approved for international football, the Red Sea Camels were forced to play their home fixture in Morocco last Wednesday, winning 2-0 thanks to goals from Sulieman and fellow forward Siem Eyob-Abraha, who plays for Sheffield United in England’s second tier and is a former Manchester United youth player.<\/p>\n
They followed that up with a 2-1 victory in Eswatini, with the home side only grabbing their consolation in the 96th minute.<\/p>\n
Ranked 184th in the world by Fifa, with only four African nations below them, Eritrea have played just a handful of games over the last six years, and last played an Afcon qualifier in September 2007, ironically against Eswatini.<\/p>\n
Burundi, Ethiopia, Lesotho, Somalia and South Sudan are the other five nations to reach qualification’s group stage, which will begin in September. <\/p>\n
Afcon 2027, which will be held in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, will be the first to be staged by three co-hosts.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n