Seven players from the Eritrean football squad that scored a historic victory in Eswatini last week have failed to return home, a source close to the team has told the BBC.
While some of their teammates flew back from Eswatini's neighbour, South Africa, the seven are said to have absconded.
There have been several cases when Eritreans competing in various sports have not gone home after international fixtures in recent years.
Rights groups have described the government in Asmara as highly repressive - a charge which the authorities reject. Despite its small population, hundreds of thousands of Eritreans have sought asylum abroad.
The news of the players absconding will come as a blow to the team, which, following its 2-1 win in Eswatini and 4-1 victory on aggregate, was celebrating a return to the qualifying group stages for the Africa Cup of Nations for the first time in 19 years.
