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Eritrea — South Africa, Africa Cup of Nations - Qualification

Africa Cup of Nations - Qualification
Eritrea L3 Nov 2024 · Home Ethiopia · 0:3L28 May 2025 · Home Niger · 0:1W25 Mar · Home Eswatini · 2:0W31 Mar · Away Eswatini · 2:1D26 Sep · Away Kenya · 1:1L30 Sep · Home South Africa · 0:5
0:5
Finished

Kick-off was BST

South Africa L11 Jun · Away Mexico · 0:2D18 Jun · Away Czech Republic · 1:1W25 Jun · Home South Korea · 1:0L28 Jun · Home Canada · 0:1W26 Sep · Home Guinea · 2:1W30 Sep · Away Eritrea · 5:0
Venue: Cicero Stadium City: Asmara

In the Africa Cup of Nations - Qualification game on 30 September 2026, South Africa beat Eritrea 0:5. Match numbers: shots on target 4:9, corners 6:8.

Match report

South Africa made light work of Eritrea in their second Group Stage fixture of the AFCON qualifiers, running out 5-0 winners at the final whistle on Tuesday. The visitors opened their campaign with a statement of intent, matching their recent form with a comprehensive performance against a side that had only managed a draw against Kenya on their opening day.

Relebohile Mofokeng set the tone early, firing home in the nineteenth minute before doubling his tally just before half-time. The goals came in quick succession, the second arriving in the forty-fifth minute of added time to send the visitors into the break with a commanding lead. Olwethu Makhanya picked up a yellow card in the thirty-third minute, a rare blemish on an otherwise dominant display.

And here's the thing about second-half performances — South Africa didn't let up. Sphephelo Sithole added a third in the fifty-second minute, and Iqraam Rayners made it four in the sixty-third. The match was effectively over by then, but Luther Singh ensured the final scoreline reflected the gulf in quality, slotting home in the ninety-fourth minute.

The statistics tell the full story of South Africa's control. They registered ninety-six attacks against fifty-five, held sixty-nine percent possession and produced nine shots on target compared to just four for the hosts. Eritrea managed only twenty-one-sixty-three successful passes and couldn't find the back of the net despite four shots on target of their own. To be fair, the goalkeeper made four saves, but the margin was never really in doubt after the first half.

South Africa now sit top of the group with three points from one game, while Eritrea remain third with just the single point earned against Kenya. The visitors have shown they can compete at this level, having lost to Canada in their previous outing but bouncing back here with a performance that felt inevitable given the resources at their disposal.

Prepared from match data

Video

Match highlights Eritrea — South Africa EVERYTHING SA DISKI Match highlights Eritrea — South Africa Futa Fiti Goal Eritrea — South Africa EVERYTHING SA DISKI

Key numbers

Possession, % 31 – 69
Shots on target 4 – 9
Shots off target 3 – 6
Attacks 55 – 96

Match events

  1. 12' 0:0 South Africa Substitution Bathusi Aubaas off: B. Poggenpoel
  2. 19' 0:1 South Africa Goal Relebohile Mofokeng assist: Oswin Appollis
  3. 33' 0:1 South Africa Yellow card Olwethu Makhanya
  4. 45+1' 0:2 South Africa Goal Relebohile Mofokeng assist: Samukele Kabini
  5. 45+2' 0:2 Eritrea Substitution N. Embaye off: Esrom Yohannes
  6. 52' 0:3 South Africa Goal Sphephelo Sithole
  7. 58' 0:3 Eritrea Substitution Filimon Gerezgiher off: Yonatan Sebhatu
  8. 58' 0:3 Eritrea Substitution Jonas Idris Ibrahim off: Maill Lundgren
  9. 63' 0:4 South Africa Goal Iqraam Rayners assist: Oswin Appollis
  10. 74' 0:4 South Africa Substitution Iqraam Rayners off: Cassius Mailula
  11. 74' 0:4 South Africa Substitution Olwethu Makhanya off: Lebone Seema
  12. 74' 0:4 South Africa Substitution Thapelo Maseko off: Luther Singh
  13. 76' 0:4 Eritrea Substitution Ablelom Teklezgi off: Yonael Yonas
  14. 77' 0:4 Eritrea Substitution Nahom Girmai off: Awed Issac Abeselom
  15. 79' 0:4 South Africa Substitution Sphephelo Sithole off: Themba Zwane
  16. 90+4' 0:5 South Africa Goal Luther Singh

Statistics

31 Possession, % 69
4 Shots on target 9
3 Shots off target 6
55 Attacks 96
6 Corners 8
14 Fouls 9
18 Free kicks 17
3 Offsides 9
0 Yellow cards 1
0 Red cards 0
7 Goal kicks 6
14 Throw-ins 19
All statistics
2 Blocked shots 2
73 Failed passes 64
4 Goalkeeper saves 4
0.44 Shot accuracy 0.53
7 Shots from outside the box 5
4 Shots inside the box 14
289 Total passes 632

Line-ups

Eritrea

Starting XI
# Player number
14 Namrud Embaye 14
16 H. Asmelash 16
7 Filimon Gerezgiher 7
9 Tesfaldet Tekie 9
20 Nahom Girmai Netabay 20
10 Ali Sulieman 10
Substitutes
# Player number
31 Y. Sebhatu 31
23 Ismail Maill Lundgren 23
26 A. Alemseged 26
29 N. Gebrezgi 29
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South Africa

Starting XI
# Player number
1 Ronwen Williams 1
21 Ime Okon 21
24 Olvetu Makhanja 24
25 Kamogelo Sebelebele 25
30 Bathusi Jurry Aubaas 30
7 Oswin Reagan Appollis 7
10 R. Mofokeng 10
12 Thapelo Maseko 12
13 Sphephelo S'Miso Sithole 13
18 S. Kabini 18
15 Iqraam Rayners 15
Substitutes
# Player number
16 Sipho Chaine 16
22 Ricardo Goss 22
2 Tholo Thabang Matuludi 2
3 Hulumani Ndamani 3
5 Lebonye Sima 5
14 Fawaaz Basadien 14
28 Thapelo James Morena 28
11 Themba Zwane 11
20 Brooklyn Poggenpoel 20
9 J. Mbutuma 9
17 Luther Wesley Singh 17
27 Cassius Mailula 27
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Match prediction: Eritrea — South Africa

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Recent form

Eritrea

L3 Nov 2024 · Home Ethiopia · 0:3L28 May 2025 · Home Niger · 0:1W25 Mar · Home Eswatini · 2:0W31 Mar · Away Eswatini · 2:1D26 Sep · Away Kenya · 1:1L30 Sep · Home South Africa · 0:5

Recent matches

All team matches

South Africa

L11 Jun · Away Mexico · 0:2D18 Jun · Away Czech Republic · 1:1W25 Jun · Home South Korea · 1:0L28 Jun · Home Canada · 0:1W26 Sep · Home Guinea · 2:1W30 Sep · Away Eritrea · 5:0

Recent matches

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