The narrow win was enough to send the Walias through 4-0 on aggregate, after they had already won the first leg 3-0 away in Morocco last week.
Match Summary
Ethiopia dominated possession and created several scoring opportunities but had to wait until the second half for the decisive goal. The home side controlled the tempo, though Sao Tome & Principe defended stubbornly for long periods.
The only goal of the afternoon came in the second half (exact timing not specified in early reports), giving Ethiopia a deserved lead and sealing qualification without major drama.
Final Score: Ethiopia 1-0 Sao Tome & Principe Aggregate: Ethiopia 4-0 Sao Tome & Principe
Key Talking Points
- Professional Performance: Ethiopia showed good control and discipline, avoiding any late scares against a side ranked much lower in the FIFA standings.
- Solid Defence: The Walias kept a clean sheet in the second leg, building on their strong defensive display in the first leg.
- Qualification Secured: With this result, Ethiopia advance comfortably to the next round of AFCON 2027 qualifiers, keeping alive their hopes of returning to the continental showpiece.
- Room for Improvement: Despite the win, Ethiopia will need to be more clinical in front of goal if they are to challenge stronger opponents in subsequent rounds.
Head coach Yohannes Sahle will be satisfied with the clean qualification, especially playing at home in Dire Dawa. The team now looks ahead to tougher challenges in the group stage.
Congratulations to the Ethiopian national team on progressing to the next phase of AFCON 2027 qualifiers!
Ethiopia fans, how did you rate today’s performance? Drop your thoughts below!