Ethiopia’s national team secures a place in the 2023 African Cup of Nations (CHAN), which will be held in Algeria. The Ethiopian national team, coached by Wubetu Abate, played their first double-leg game with Rwanda in Tanzania after CAF excluded Bahir Dar stadium from hosting the game due to failing to meet the standards. The Ethiopian national team, also known as the Walia Ibex, now qualifies for CHAN 2023, which will be in January. The team defeated South Sudan in the previous round to advance to the game with Rwanda. The Rwandan and Ethiopian teams competed in a two-leg qualifying match. The two games were played ten days apart, with the first being a goalless draw at Tanzania’s capital, Dar es Salaam’s Benjamin Mkapa Stadium. The second game was the one that earned the team a spot in CHAN 2023.
The team defeated Rwanda 0-1 at Huye Stadium, Rwanda, advancing to the championship’s top 18 teams. Midfielder Dawa Hottesa scored the only goal, helping Ethiopia qualify for the biennial African football confederation. This victory also made up for Ethiopia’s loss to Rwanda in the CHAN 2020 qualifying match’s championship game. Rwanda qualified for the 2020 tournament by defeating Ethiopia 2-1.
Among the 18 nations that will qualify for CHAN 2023 are Angola, Congo, Mali, Ghana, Ethiopia, Niger, Uganda, Senegal, Mauritania, Madagascar, Sudan, Libya, Algeria (the host nation), Morocco (the two-time defending champion), Mozambique, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cameroon, and the Ivory Coast.
