Nineteen years after their last appearance in the group stage of Africa Cup of Nations qualifying, Eritrea have returned to the competition with a result that could prove significant.
The Red Sea Camels held 2027 AFCON hosts Kenya to a 1-1 draw in Nairobi, coming within three minutes of recording a remarkable away victory.
Nahom Girmai put Eritrea ahead in the 36th minute before Kenya rescued a point with an 87th-minute equaliser.
For a country that has endured years of disruption to its international football programme, the performance represented another notable step in an unexpected revival.
Eritrea withdrew from the 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign amid concerns over players potentially leaving the country during international trips. Those fears have been rooted in a long history of defections.
Ten Eritrean internationals failed to return home after a match in Botswana in 2015, while another seven disappeared in Uganda during the 2019 CECAFA Cup. More than 60 players are believed to have sought asylum abroad since 2009.
The departures contributed to Eritrea’s prolonged absence from international football.
The national team finally returned to AFCON qualifying in March, participating in the competition for the first time since 2007. They defeated Eswatini 4-1 on aggregate over two legs to advance.
The Eritrean Football Federation has increasingly relied on players from the country’s diaspora to rebuild the national side. Girmai and Tesfalidet Tekie play in Sweden’s top division, while other squad members are based in countries including the Netherlands, Egypt and Australia.
However, the comeback has not been without further setbacks.
Following the victory over Eswatini, seven of the 10 players based in Eritrea reportedly failed to return home from South Africa. Only three locally based players were said to have gone back to Asmara.
That left Eritrea with a squad heavily dependent on players based abroad.
Against Kenya, only captain Ablelom Teklezghim of Red Sea and striker Romel Abdu of Denden represented clubs in the domestic league. The remainder of the team was drawn from a wide-ranging diaspora, including players competing in lower divisions in Europe and less prominent leagues elsewhere.
Yet they showed considerable organisation at Nairobi’s Nyayo Stadium.
Eritrea defended in numbers, remained disciplined and looked dangerous when they broke forward. Kenya struggled to find a way through and needed a late equaliser to avoid defeat.
Much of that resistance came from goalkeeper Yonathan Sultan.
The 19-year-old, who plays in the third tier of the United Arab Emirates, was promoted to the starting XI after Kibrom Salomon defected in March. Sultan responded with an assured performance that kept Eritrea ahead until the closing stages.
The draw leaves Eritrea with another reason to believe their return to international football could develop into something more than a brief comeback.
Against one of the three countries preparing to host the 2027 AFCON, the Red Sea Camels demonstrated that, despite the turmoil surrounding their football in recent years, they can still compete on the continental stage.
For Eritrea, a point in Nairobi was more than just a result. It was another sign that the country’s long-awaited return may have only just begun.
