Coach Yakan praises team for advancing to next stage of Africa Cup of Nations 2027 qualifiers

The head coach of Eritrea’s national team, Hasham Yakan has praised the players for the hard work that saw them eject Eswatini and qualify for the next stage of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2027 qualifier.

The Red Sea Camels beat Eswatini 2-0 in the first leg and completed the job in style with a 2-1 away win on Tuesday to qualify on a 4-1 goal aggregate.

“We did not have many days to train as a team, but the players invited were all very focused and determined to work hard for the national team,” says head coach Yakan.

The Egyptian who was also appointed few weeks ago said that the dedication by the players and the Eritrean National Football Federation (ENFF) is a clear indication that there is more success to come.

“Most of the players we invited are young and not very exposed. But I was very impressed with how they worked hard and showed a lot of determination to make sure the team qualified for the next stage,” added the coach.

Eritrea together with other teams from the Council of East and Central Africa Football Associations (CECAFA); South Sudan, Somalia, Burundi and Ethiopia all qualified for the group stage of the AFCON 2027 qualifiers.

Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania will host the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2027.