AFCON 2027 Qualifiers: Eritrea Backed to Shock Guinea and South Africa After Kenya Draw

Following an intense opening match in the AFCON 2027 Group D qualification campaign, Benni McCarthy offered high praise for Eritrea's tactical output while issuing a direct warning to group favourites South Africa and Guinea.

Kenya was forced to fight back from a goal down at Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi, securing a 1-1 draw thanks to an 87th-minute strike by forward Ryan Ogam.

Eritrea had stunned the home crowd in the first half when forward Nahom Girmai Netabay capitalised on a defensive turnover to give the visitors a lead.

Eritrea returned to the group stage of international qualification after a lengthy absence, entering the match as heavy underdogs.

However, their disciplined low block combined with aggressive pressing caught the hosts off guard during critical phases of the first half.

Despite Kenya dominating possession and generating 29 total attempts, Eritrea's defensive structure held firm for most of the afternoon.

Addressing the media after the match, Benni McCarthy admitted that while many onlookers expected a comfortable home victory, his coaching staff prepared for a stern test.

"I thought they were good today; very surprising. A lot of people underestimated them… we didn’t do it, though, because they have some qualities in their squad that, if we were not careful, would hurt us, and they showed that with the way they were pressing forward," he said.

Eritrea’s pressing game was spearheaded by a relentless forward line that constantly harassed Kenya’s defensive build-up.

Nahom Girmai's opening goal in the 36th minute was a direct result of that sustained pressure, forcing an error inside Kenya's 18-yard box.

The high-energy performance of Eritrea's forwards left a lasting impression on the technical area. Comparing the visitors' stamina to local long-distance runners, the Kenyan coach praised the relentless work rate that kept his defenders on high alert.

"They had a striker who ran all day; he looked more like a Kenyan athlete than a footballer. He gave us a lot of trouble," Benni McCarthy said.

The result in Nairobi has immediate implications for the rest of Group D. In the group’s other opening fixture in Soweto, South Africa secured a 2-1 victory over Guinea, taking an early lead at the top of the table.

Because Kenya has already qualified automatically as co-hosts for AFCON PAMOJA 2027 alongside Uganda and Tanzania, South Africa, Guinea, and Eritrea are fighting for the single remaining qualification spot from the group.

Cautioning Bafana Bafana and the National Elephants against taking Eritrea lightly in upcoming rounds, the tactician emphasised that the quality on display in Nairobi should put both nations on high alert.

"The other two teams (South Africa and Guinea) will have to watch out because the match here was exciting. It’s the kind of football that you want to play, but if there were more goals, then it would be much better," he added.

With Kenya preparing for a tough Matchday 2 trip to face Guinea in Conakry, the technical bench remains confident that both Kenya and Eritrea will shake up the group standings.

Eritrea's hard-earned point away from home proves they are capable of taking points off any side in the group if allowed space to counter-attack.

"We [Kenya and Eritrea] will give Guinea and South Africa a lot of trouble based on what we saw."