Football

Somalia bows out of AFCON 2025 Qualifiers despite holding eSwatini

Part of the action as Somalia battled with eSwatini in an AFCON 2025 Preliminary round qualifier © Naani Kaambo Production

By Michael Kirwa | Tuesday, March 26, 2024

The Ocean Stars lost 2-5 on aggregate to eSwatini hence bowing out of the qualifiers

Somalia national football team Ocean Stars came from two goals down to force a 2-2 draw with eSwatini in a 2025 preliminary AFCON qualification match played at the Mbombela Stadium in South Africa on Tuesday 26 March.

eSwatini had won the first leg 3-0 when the two teams met in Morocco on Wednesday 20 March and looked set to cruise to another victory against their opponents after two quick goals through Sabelo Ndzinisa in the 46th minute and Bongwa Matsebula in the 49th minute but late goals by Mohammed Awad and Ahmed Yusuf ensured the Ocean Stars exit the AFCON 2025 qualifiers with their heads held high.

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FULL TIME: SOMALIA 🇸🇴 2-2 ESWATINI 🇸🇿 AGG: (2-5)

WE ARE OUT OF AFCON 2025! IN SHA ALLAH WE LEARN & GROW FROM THIS ❤️ pic.twitter.com/HQapPDW0bN
— SOMALI ATHLETE (@SomaliAthlete) March 26, 2024

Somalia’s Moroccan coach Rashid Lousteque had made one change to the team that lost 0-3 in the first leg with Sakariya Hassan replacing Mukhtar Abdi in the starting line-up. The change seems to have a desired effect as the first half ended 0-0, putting Somalia on course to cause an upset in the second half with an improved performance.

Buoyed by the support of Somalis who travelled to the match venue from various South African cities, Somalia sprung a comeback in the final 15 minutes with Mohammed Awad reducing in the 76th minute before Ahmed Yusuf pulled the Ocean Stars level in the 84th minute.

Thank you to all the passionate fans across different cities in South Africa who traveled to support Somalia in today’s game against Eswatini 🇸🇴💙⚽️ pic.twitter.com/X4PYNW313t
— SOMALI ATHLETE (@SomaliAthlete) March 26, 2024

The result makes it the first time that Somalia has avoided defeat against eSwatini whom they had lost against in all their three previous encounters.

The result boosts Somalia’s confidence ahead of their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier matches against Mozambique (away) and Botswana (home) in June 2024.

Somalia is currently bottom in its 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying group following losses to Algeria (3-1) and Uganda (1-0) but positive results against Mozambique and Botswana should have them believing again.