AFCON 2027 Qualifiers: McCarthy warns South Africa to expect tough test against Eritrea

Kenya coach Benni McCarthy has warned South Africa to expect a difficult encounter against Eritrea after the East African side were held to a 1-1 draw in their opening 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.

Kenya, who have already secured their place at the tournament as co-hosts, were unable to claim victory against an Eritrea side playing their first AFCON qualifying match in 19 years.

Despite Eritrea being ranked 184th in the world by FIFA, McCarthy believes their performance in the match showed they should not be underestimated.

The former South Africa striker urged both Bafana Bafana and Guinea to be wary of Eritrea when they face the Red Sea Boys in the qualifiers.

“The other two teams, South Africa and Guinea, will have to watch out because the match here was exciting,” McCarthy said after the draw, according to Pulse Kenya.

“It’s the kind of football that you want to play, but if there were more goals, then it would be much better.

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

South Africa will face Eritrea on Wednesday evening in Cairo in their first-ever meeting.

The match is being played in Egypt because Eritrea do not currently have a CAF-approved stadium capable of hosting international home fixtures.

Eritrea’s return to AFCON qualifying football marks a significant moment for a national side that had been absent from the competition’s qualification process for almost two decades.

South Africa will therefore be looking to avoid an upset and begin their campaign with a positive result when they meet the East African side in Cairo.