By Durosimi Thomas
To aim high sometimes pays dividends. Ethiopia were busy planning how to qualify for their first ever World Cup in 2014. Now they are celebrating a return to the Africa Cup of Nations after a wait of three decades.
The Waliya Antelopes are top of Group A in the African zone of World Cup qualifiers, but reaching the 2013 Nations Cup in South Africa marks a new dawn for the country.
The Ethiopians beat Sudan 2-0 in Addis Ababa last Sunday to qualify for their first continental finals since 1982 on the away goals rule, after the tie had ended 5-5 on aggregate.
If the celebrations in Meskel Square in the heart of Addis Ababa were anything to go by, then it is clear that 85 million Ethiopians are ready to reclaim their lost heritage as one of the pioneers of the African game when they play in their 10th finals since 1957.
Read more at BBC Sport
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Ethiopia Qualifies For Africa Cup of Nations For the First Time in 30 Years (BBC Sport)
Photo credit: Fifa.com
The Ethiopian Black Lions booked their place at the Africa Cup of Nations for the first time in 30 years as they earned reward for a patient approach in Addis Ababa.
Sudan won a goal-flush first encounter 5-3 thanks to a late Mohamed Al Tahir brace and were barely troubled during the opening half at the national stadium in the heart of the Ethiopian capital.
But as the hour mark passed without a goal and it was looking good for the visitors, Adane Girma and Saladin Seid scored a goal apiece to turn the match on its head to the delight of a capacity 30,000 crowd.
Fifty years ago Ethiopia won the Nations Cup and now they have won the right to try to do so again.
Read more at BBC News.
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Cameroon crash out, Ethiopia qualify (AFP)