‘South Africa were too strong for us’ – Eritrea coach Hesham Yakan

Eritrea coach Hesham Yakan has admitted that South Africa were simply too strong for his side after suffering a heavy 5-0 defeat in their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in Egypt.

The Eritrean side found it difficult to compete with Bafana Bafana, who dominated the contest and showed their superior quality to secure a convincing victory.

South Africa entered the game with a strong reputation on the continent and lived up to that billing with a commanding performance that left Eritrea struggling to find a way back into the contest.

For Yakan, the difference in quality between the two teams was evident, with the Eritrean coach acknowledging that his players faced a major challenge against one of Africa’s leading sides.

Speaking after the match in Egypt, Yakan praised South Africa while reflecting on the difficulty of competing against them.

“We faced a team that is classified as a top five team in Africa; it was difficult,” Yakan said.

The coach’s comments came after Eritrea were unable to contain South Africa’s attacking threat, eventually conceding five goals in a result that highlighted the gap between the two teams on the night.

Yakan’s side had hoped to make the contest competitive, but South Africa’s quality, experience and ability to control the game proved decisive as Bafana Bafana secured all three points in emphatic fashion.

The defeat represents a difficult setback for Eritrea in their AFCON qualifying campaign, while South Africa can take confidence from the comprehensive victory as they continue their preparations for the remaining fixtures.

Yakan will now have to regroup his players and find a response in their next qualifying assignment, with the Eritrean coach aware that improvements will be required after the heavy loss.

For South Africa, the five-goal victory provides further evidence of their strength and gives them an important boost as they continue their pursuit of qualification for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.