Eritrea vs Eswatini prediction 25.03.2026 | AFCON Qualification

Eritrea, or the Red Sea Camels, are almost starting from zero again. Years without competitive football tend to do that. There is no current FIFA ranking either, which feels odd but makes sense given the inactivity.

Their last position hovered around 195th before dropping out completely. Hesham Yakan, still fairly new in the role, has picked a 26-man squad that mixes local players with those based abroad.

That balance could help, though it might also take time to gel. Ablelom Teklezghi, who plays domestically, will captain the side.

Then you have Fahmi Ibrahim and Nahom Girmai Netabay, both based in Europe, who could bring a different level of sharpness. Still, it is hard to judge cohesion at this stage.

Eswatini, known as the King’s Shield, at least come in with recent match experience, though results have not been kind. A long winless run, stretching to 20 matches, hangs over the squad a bit. Confidence, you would think, is fragile.

Their last outing, a 3-0 defeat to Cape Verde, followed a pattern. Goals have been hard to come by, with the King’s Shield failing to score in three of the last four games. Away form does not offer much comfort either. Three straight defeats on the road, conceding eight without reply, is difficult to ignore.

Zdravko Logarušić has selected a squad largely built from domestic league players, which has its strengths but also clear limits. Royal Leopards contribute several names, including Simanga Masangane and Gift Gamedze, who are expected to play key roles here.