Football - Eritrea: Seven players defected
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All original articlesVictorious from Eswatini in the first qualifying round of the AFCON 2027, Eritrea has not only returned to football but also with the flight of its local talents. Of the ten players playing in the national championship, only three returned to Asmara.
Silently, the federation will not comment on the case which is a refrain of Eritrean sport. Nearly a hundred athletes fled the country during outdoor competitions, which was the main reason for the Red Sea Camels' absence from any official football match since September 10, 2019, and a 2022 World Cup qualifier against Namibia (4-1 aggregate loss).
Eager to reengage the selection and not to undergo the new penalty schedule planned by the CAF in case of failure to attend an official competition, Eritrea has aligned its selection for the first qualifying round at the next AFCON which it had not done for almost nineteen years!
Escape to South Africa
Eager to avoid potential defections, the federation worked jointly with the authorities to facilitate the administrative procedures of several targeted binationals upstream. This is how thirteen expatriates gathered together a strong group of ten locals.
A quality alloy, easy winner of Eswatini (2-0, then 2-1) under the leadership of Ali Sulieman, the small striker playing in the Egyptian D1 having three goals. A historic qualification, celebrated by several government officials on social networks, logically proud to see (finally) their national team show its talents on the continent.
Nevertheless, after the second meeting played in South Africa – Eswatini having no stadium to standards -, seven local players fled the rally:
Kubrom Solomon (goalkeeper)
Awet Maharena (caretaker)
Yosief Tsegay (defender)
Nahom Awet (defender)
Weded Fessehaye (defender)
Redie Medhanie (middle)
Benhur Amanuel (forward)
«It’s the first time that some were leaving the country and tasting abroad»
Revealed by ATV Asena, the news was confirmed to Sport News Africa by several Eritrean sources. "This is the first time that some were leaving the country and tasting outside," says one of them. “The temptation was very strong, especially in South Africa.”
Only three local players have returned to Asmara, including the captain (and striker in the first leg), Ablelom Teklezgi, starting midfielder Nahom Tadese and replacement Romel Abdu.
One should imagine a selection even more impregnated by the players of the diaspora during the next official matches in order to avoid other defections...