Afcon Group A: Ethiopia first country to arrive in Cameroon for 2021 Afcon |

Ethiopia’s national football team on Sunday December 26 arrived in Cameroon as it readies for the 2021 African cup of nations.

The Ethiopian team is the first of the 24 qualified teams for tournament that has arrived in Cameroon.

AFCON 2021: Ethiopia, first nation to arrive Cameroon | KICK442

Head of the Ethiopian delegation Abelé Gelagoy says, it was necessary to take the lead in order to familiarize themselves with the Cameroonian public.

“Yes indeed we should arrive early to prepare ourselves and acclimatise to Cameroon, especially with the climate and weather here; especially we wanted to do something different with our team.

The Ethiopians travelled to Cameroon with a 28-man squad after the country football federation summoned three players to join the 25-man squad initially selected for the continental showpiece.

Sonore (English), “It’s true that it’s too early to arrive in Cameroon but not very early for a preparation, because you know some teams have started their preparation one or two days before, we are here, so we will start our training sessions today. ” Wubetu ABATE, coach Ethiopia.

The coach will be able to count on an entirely local team that plays in the country except for Bekelé who plays in Egypt and Kassim who plays in Algeria.

“It’s a young team, most of them play at home in the local league, and we have two players who play away. So if we have young players it shows that there will be energy, there is motivation to play and I think that is the most important thing. “Said Wubetu Abate.

After going through a Covid-19 test, the team took its quarters in a hotel in the capital before joining its first training session.

Ethiopia will face Egypt, Nigeria and Guinea Bissau in the group that evolves in Garoua.

This will be Ethiopia’s debut in AFCON since its last appearance in South Africa in 2013.

Ethiopia and Cape Verde squad for 2021 Afcon

Group A rivals Ethiopia and Cape Verde have named their squads for January’s 2021 Africa Cup of Nations finals in Cameroon.

While Ethiopia have named predominantly domestic-based players in their 25, Cape Verde’s 26-man squad has just one locally-based player.

Forward Getaneh Kebede will captain the east Africans, with El Gouna’s Shemeles Bekele and Mujib Kassim (JS Kabylie, Algeria) the only two players who ply their trade outside of Ethiopia.

The Walia Ibex, who won the Nations Cup in 1962, have qualified for the tournament for the first time wince 2013.

Cape Verde’s Blue Sharks are appearing at their third finals after reaching the quarter-finals on their debut in 2013 and playing again two years later.

Reserve goalkeeper Keven Ramos, who plays for Mindelese, is the only member of the squad who represents a club in Cape Verde.

Ethiopia and Cape Verde face each other on the opening day of the tournament on 9 January just after Group A rivals Cameroon kick off the finals against Burkina Faso.

The Nations Cup has been delayed for a year by the coronavirus pandemic., and Confederation of African Football (Caf) president Patrice Motsepe has reiterated that the tournament will go ahead as planned despite the emergence of the Omicron variant.

Ethiopia squad for Afcon 2021

Goalkeepers: Teklemariam Shanko (Sidama Coffee, Ethiopia), Fasil Gebremichael (Bahir Dar Ketema, Ethiopia), Jemal Tassew (Adama Ketema, Ethiopia).

Defenders: Asrat Tunjo (Ethiopian Coffee, Ethiopia), Suleiman Hamid (St George, Ethiopia), Remedan Yesouf (Wolkite K, Ethiopia), Desta Yohannes (Adama K, Ethiopia), Aschalew Tamene (Fasil K, Ethiopia), Yared Bayeh (Fasil K, Ethiopia), Mignot Debebe (St George, Ethiopia), Menaf Awol (Bahir Dar K, Ethiopia).

Midfielders: Amanuel Yohannes (Ethiopian Coffee, Ethiopia), Gatuoch Panom (St George, Ethiopia), Shemeles Bekele (El Gouna, Egypt), Mesoud Mohammed (Jimma AJ, Ethiopia), Fitsum Alemu (Bahir Dar K, Ethiopia), Firew Solomon (Sidama Coffee, Ethiopia), Bezabeh Meleyou (Fasil K, Ethiopia).

Forwards: Abubeker Nassir (Ethiopian Coffee, Ethiopia), Getaneh Kebede (Wolkite K, Ethiopia), Amanuel Gebremichael (St George, Ethiopia), Shemeket Gugsa (Fasil K, Ethiopia), Mujib Kassim (JS Kabylie, Algeria), Mesfin Taffese (Hawassa K, Ethiopia), Dawa Hottesa (Adama K, Ethiopia).

Cape Verde squad for Afcon 2021

Goalkeepers: Vozinha (AEL Limassol, Cyprus), Marcio da Rosa (Montalegre, Portugal), Keven Ramos (Mindelese, Cape Verde).

Defenders: Stopira (Fehervar, Hungary), Steven Fortes (Oostende, Belgium), Jeffry Fortes (De Graafschap, Netherlands), Steve Furtado (Beroe, Bulgaria), Roberto Lopes (Shamrock Rovers, Republic of Ireland), Joao Paulo Fernandes (Feirense, Portugal), Diney Borges (AS Far, Morocco), Ponck (Istanbul Basaksehir, Turkey), Dylan Tavares (Neuchatel Xamax, Switzerland).

Midfielders: Kenny Rocha (Oostende, Belgium), Nuno Borges (Casa Pia, Portugal), Patrick Andrade (Qarabag, Azerbaijan), Jamiro Monteior (Philadelphia Union, USA), Nenass (Aalesund, Norway), Marco Soares (Arouca, Portugal).

Forwards: Ryan Mendes (Al Nasr, UAE), Willy Semedo (Pafos, Cyprus), Gilson Tavares (Estoril-Praia, Portugal), Willis Furtado (FK Jerv, Norway), Julio Tavares (Al Faisaly, Saudi Arabia), Garry Rodrigues (Olympiakos, Greece), Lisandro Semedo (Fortuna Sittard, Netherlands), Djaniny Semedo (Trabzonsport, Turkey).