Sierra Leoneans have been celebrating the national team’s passage to the African Nations Cup finals on Tuesday after a twenty-five year absence.
The Leone Stars edged The Squirrels of Benin 1-nil in a second leg AFCON qualifier played in Conakry, the capital of neighbouring Guinea.
Kei Kamara scored from the penalty spot in the first half to send the Leone Stars on their way to their first Africa Cup of Nations since their last appearance at the tournament in 1996.
Going into the match Sierra Leone needed a win while Benin a draw to qualify.
The match which was overshadowed by issues of Covid-19 tests and postponed twice was moved to Guinea after Sierra Leone’s main Siaka Stevens Stadium was declared by CAF to be unfit to host the match.
It was originally scheduled for Freetown on March 30 but was postponed to June after a controversy over Covid test results involving the visiting Beninese squad whose key players had reportedly tested positive for the virus.
By this victory The Leone Stars joined Group L rivals Nigeria and 22 other teams at Africa’s biggest football showpiece finals in Cameroon in January 2022.
WN/as/APA