The Ethiopian national team aka the Walias are set to take on the South African national team, Bafana Bafana, for the 2022 World Cup qualifiers at Bahir Dar stadium. The national team will face South Africa on Saturday, October 9, 2021.
Coach Wubetu Abate called up 25 players to commence their preparations at Bahir Dar since September.
The Walias were grouped with Zimbabwe, Ghana and South Africa for the 2022 Qatar World Cup qualifiers. It can be recalled that the Walias beat Zimbabwe 1-0 in stoppage time and are third in the group with three points.
Meanwhile, Bafana Bafana sit top of the group with four points after beating Ghana and drawing against Zimbabwe.
Saturday’s match is crucial for both sides to take the next step in qualifying for the 2022 World Cup. So far, the Walias have not lost any international qualification matches at Bahir Dar international stadium.
However, Bafana Bafana will want to make it to the 2022 Qatar World Cup for the first time since 2010, having missed the 2014 and 2018 World Cups.
Ethiopia and South Africa have met three times before with the Walias victorious in the last two matches. South Africa has never had a victory over Ethiopia. Their last match was the World Cup qualifiers in 2013 (eight years ago), in which Ethiopia defeated South Africa 2-1.
Victory to South Africa over Ethiopia would put them in strong position to advance to the next round, with only the group winners advancing to the third and final knockout round.
Bafana Bafana will host the Walias on Tuesday, October 12, 2021, in the return leg at the FNB stadium.
Ethiopia has never reached a World Cup before; however, they will be in good stead if they manage a victory over the South African side.
