Football

Somalia face uphill task against eSwatini in crucial AFCON 2025 qualifier

Somalia's Ocean Stars training in South Africa ahead of the return leg tie against Lesotho © Courtesy

By Michael Kirwa | Tuesday, March 26, 2024

eSwatini thrashed Somalia 3-0 in the first leg encounter played in Morocco

Somalia face an uphill task as they prepare to preserve their participation in the 2025 African Cup of Nations qualification by overturning a three-goal first-leg deficit against eSwatini at the Mbombela Stadium in South Africa on Tuesday.

The Ocean Stars were drawn against eSwatini’s Sihlangu Semnikati (King’s Shield) for their AFCON 2025 Preliminary Round qualifier matches.

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The Southern Africans carry a 3-0 lead to the second leg after winning away to Somalia in a match that was played in Morocco on Wednesday 20 March.

Both countries are hosting their qualifier matches abroad because they currently do not have a match venue that meets CAF standards.

With eSwatini firmly in the driving seat, the home side will hope to maintain their good record against Somalia who are yet to get the better of them in three matches.

CAPTAIN 🇸🇴⚽️ ABDISAMED SPEAKS BEFORE TOMORROW 2ND LEG GAME VS ESWATINI 🇸🇿 IN AFCON 25 PRELIMS pic.twitter.com/CXuV8T8Hql
— SOMALI ATHLETE (@SomaliAthlete) March 25, 2024

The two countries first during the Preliminary Round of the AFCON 2023 qualifiers and eSwatini registered a 5-1 aggregate winning 3-0 away before finishing the job at home with a 2-1 victory.

Somalia can only qualify to the next stage if the win today’s match by four goals, a result which will be historic in that the Ocean Stars have never scored four goals in a match since defeating Mauritania 5-2 on August 7, 1985, during that year’s Pan Arab Games held in Morocco.

The other three AFCON 2025 Preliminary Round qualifier matches will also be played on Tuesday with Somalia’s Horn of Africa neighbours Djibouti also facing a daunting task as they hope to overcome Liberia in Monrovia. The West Africans go into match with a 2-0 lead following their first leg victory Friday 21 March, in Marrakech.

SOMALIA MANAGER 🇸🇴⚽️ RACHID SPEAKS BEFORE TOMORROW 2ND LEG GAME VS ESWATINI 🇸🇿 IN AFCON 25 PRELIMS pic.twitter.com/BTx7XL2HPX
— SOMALI ATHLETE (@SomaliAthlete) March 25, 2024

The contest between South Sudan is evenly-poised as either team has a fair chance of progressing to the next stage after their first leg tie on Saturday, March 22, 2024, which was hosted by Sao Tome and Principe in Morocco, ended 1-1. The return leg will also be hosted in Morocco at Berkane.

The day’s other match will see Chad hoping to maintain their first leg advantage against Mauritius. Chad defeated Mauritius 1-0 in a match that was played in Cameroon on Saturday 22 March, and will defend their one-goal advantage in Saint Pierre, Mauritius.

The AFCON 2025 Qualification Preliminary Round fixtures involve the eight lowest ranked countries in the continent and the four winners from that stage of the qualifying will join the other 44 nations and be pooled into 12 groups of four teams from which the winners and the runners-up will qualify for the