Wahala don burst for Eritrea national football team after dem celebrate historic win for Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. Seven players wey dey part of di squad no return home after dem play match for Eswatini. Di players just disappear for South Africa, and nobody sabi where dem dey right now.
Di whole mata come up after Eritrea beat Eswatini 2-1 for Somholo National Stadium for Lobamba. Dat win make dem qualify for AFCON group stages after 19 years wey dem no play for di competition. But di joy no last long at all.
According to reports, only 10 players from di 24-man squad originally come from Eritrea. Out of dat 10, only three return back to Asmara. Di three wey return na team captain Ablelom Teklezghi, Nahom Tadese, and Romel Abdu. Di oda seven just vanish like smoke.
Among di missing players na goalkeeper Kubrom Solomon and veteran winger Medhanie Redie. Di rest of di players wey no return still dey unknown. Embassy officials for Cairo, Egypt try welcome some players during stopover, but only di ones wey travel continue to Eritrea show face.
Dis kain thing no new for Eritrean athletes at all. For 2019, seven players from di under-20 team disappear after tournament for Uganda. For 2015, ten senior players refuse to return home after World Cup qualifier for Botswana. Even for 2013, 15 players plus team doctor get asylum for Uganda.
Di worst one happen for 2009 when nearly di whole senior team no return from trip to Kenya. Since dat time, over 60 Eritrean players don seek asylum for foreign countries whenever dem travel for international matches.
Eritrea government don always fear dis kain thing. Dat na why dem hardly allow di team play international matches. Dem always worry say players go run away once dem travel abroad. Now di fear don come true again.
Di state-owned media for Eritrea dey quiet about di whole matter. Plans to welcome di victorious squad cancel immediately after news of di disappearance break. Celebration turn to confusion sharp sharp.
Meanwhile, for oda AFCON qualifying matches, Burundi beat Chad 8-0 on aggregate. Ethiopia win Sao Tome and Principe 4-0. Somalia sail through after beating Mauritius 1-0. South Sudan overcome Djibouti 4-1. Lesotho beat Seychelles 2-1.
All dis six teams now join 42 oda top-ranked teams to qualify for AFCON 2027 wey Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania go co-host. Work dey ongoing for different stadiums across East Africa to prepare for di tournament.
Kenya Talanta Stadium go be di biggest of all di venues. Dem dey rush against time to finish everything before di competition start. East African countries wan show say dem fit host big tournament.
For Eritrea side, di football federation still dey look for di missing players. But sources say some of dem don dey spotted for South Africa. Whether dem go return or seek asylum remain to be seen.
Di whole situation cast shadow over what suppose to be celebration for Eritrean football. After 19 years of absence, dem finally qualify for AFCON qualifiers only for players to disappear. Na real sad turn of events.
Football fans across Africa dey watch di matter with interest. Many dey wonder why players dey always run from Eritrea. Some point to di country’s political situation as reason.
Eritrea be one-party state with heavy military presence since independence. Di country face internal repression and strained relations with neighbours. Many young people dey look for way to leave di country.
For now, di focus dey on finding di seven missing players. But di bigger question be whether Eritrea go continue to participate in international football if dis pattern continue. Only time go tell.
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