Following Ethiopia’s 1-0 victory over São Tomé and Príncipe, national team head coach Yohannes Sahle shared his thoughts in the post-match press conference after guiding the team to a 4-0 aggregate win and progression to the group stage qualifiers.
“We tried to prepare the team well psychologically within the short time we had” he said. “However we have also identified that there are still many areas that need improvement.”
The coach also highlighted the importance of involving players of Ethiopian origin playing abroad. “If Ethiopian-born players use their talent to come and serve their country it would be a huge benefit for us. All stakeholders need to play their part in making that happen.”
Speaking about the return to home support, he emphasized its impact on the team’s performance. “Playing on our home ground in front of our supporters has given us great strength. Going forward it is important to create more opportunities for us to play in our country.”
He further pointed to team unity and mental preparation as key factors behind the result. “The strong team spirit within the squad and the focus we placed on psychological readiness have played a crucial role in this success.”
