2013 AFCON: Ethiopian Plans To Surprise Opponents

They may not have the prestige, experience or star names of some of their more illustrious continental rivals, but Ethiopia are committed to excelling at the 2013 CAF Africa Cup of Nations.

It is the first time the Horn of Africa squad has qualified for the pan-African tournament in 31 years, and though the odds might be stacked against them, the Walias Antelopes, named after an endangered antelope endemic to Ethiopia’s northern mountains, are confident they will defy expectations and proceed to the knock-out stage of the tournament.

“We are going to face a lot of challenges and we have been away from the competition for a long time,” striker Adane Girma told Tidesports source. “But we have good morale, a good mentality and we are very strong, so we can face any kind of challenge,” he added, sweat glistening on his forehead after practice at the national stadium in Addis Ababa.

In a rare and unexpected feat, the Walias beat Sudan 2-0 last October in the Ethiopian capital, prompting thousands of jubilant fans to pour into the streets to celebrate. They are now preparing to face title holders Zambia on 21 January in South African city Nelspruit.

Though Zambia is a stronger team, Girma said his squad is focused on beating them in order to move on to matches against two-time champions Nigeria and Burkina Faso in Group C. “We are just thinking about finishing that first game on top and then later think about Nigeria or Burkina Faso,” he said.

Star striker Saladin Said added that he remains unfazed by the threat posed by stronger teams, stating: “We are not bothered by the names, our only focus is to win.”

But coach Sewnet Bishaw said that despite the team’s confidence the Walias still lack international experience and boast few professional players. “Our players are young and they are less experienced with international matches like (the Cup of Nations),” he said.