South Africa’s Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying campaign continues in midweek as they look to consolidate their spot at the top of Group D in their first fixture on the road.
They departed South African shores following a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Guinea at the Orlando Amstel Arena on Saturday, with the three points earned from the encounter making them early frontrunners for a spot in the tournament set to be held in East Africa in June next year.
Fresh from a Man of the Match performance over the weekend, Orlando Pirates winger Kamogelo Sebelebele will be looking to carry that momentum into Wednesday’s AFCON 2027 qualifier against Eritrea at the Al-Salam Stadium in Cairo.
Sebelebele was instrumental in South Africa’s winning start to Group D and will be hoping for another influential display as they look to make it two wins from two. Oswin Appollis, who started against the National Elephants, will also be looking to build on his performance, while late call-up Tshepang Moremi could be in line for his opportunity after joining the squad as a replacement for the injured Lebohang Maboe.
The trio makes up part of an seven-strong Bucs contingent in the squad currently in Egypt looking to secure qualification in the continental showpiece event for the third consecutive time. The group includes striker Yanela Mbuthuma, who came on as a substitute in the second half against Guinea, while the uncapped Lebone Seema was an unused sub alongside goalkeeper Sipho Chaine and Pirates skipper Nkosinathi Sibisi.
Meanwhile the Red Sea Camels will be looking to build on their return to international football. They secured their place in the AFCON 2027 qualifying group stages with a 4–1 aggregate victory over Eswatini in the preliminary round before playing to a 1–1 draw against co-hosts Kenya in their opening Group D qualifier.
The match will be the first official senior international meeting between Eritrea and South Africa.
As one of the youngest independent states on the continent, Eritrea have never qualified for the AFCON finals although their footballing history is closely linked to the competition.
When Ethiopia won the title in 1962, eight of the 11 players in their starting line-up were Eritrean, including captain Luciano Vassallo and his brother, Italo.
Their recent progress has come against a difficult backdrop, with years of limited international activity affecting the development and continuity of the national team. They do, however, have players with experience in European football. Midfielder Tesfaldet Tekie, who plays for Swedish top-flight side Hammarby IF, brings experience and creativity to the midfield, while forward Ali Sulieman is another player to watch after contributing to Eritrea’s goal in their recent draw against Kenya.
Nahom Netabay also brings experience from the Swedish league system, while captain Ablelom Teklezghi, who plays for Red Sea FC, provides leadership in the middle of the park.
For Bafana Bafana, the focus will be on maintaining their winning momentum and strengthening their position in Group D. Eritrea, meanwhile, will be looking to make the most of their return to competitive football and test themselves against South Africa.
The qualifier between the two nations is scheduled to kick off at 18:00 (SAST).
