FREETOWN – Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA) President Babadi Kamara has told Leone Stars players he is deeply disappointed in them following their two embarrassing defeats in the TotalEnergies AFCON 2027 Qualifiers.
In a frank and emotional address to the team before they departed to their various clubs, captured in a video shared on Facebook, Kamara struggled to hide his frustration after Sierra Leone lost 0-2 to Zimbabwe and 1-2 to Equatorial Guinea.
“This is a painful moment for all of us,” Kamara told the players, in a tone that mixed disappointment, anger and concern.
He added: “I’m so disappointed in you,” as he addressed the squad directly, making it clear that the performances were not good enough for a nation that had invested hope in qualification for AFCON 2027.
According to the video, the SLFA boss said the whole country is hurting from the results, noting that fans who stayed up to support the team were left heartbroken.
Leone Stars’ back-to-back defeats have left them rooted at the bottom of their qualifying group with zero points from two matches, seriously denting Sierra Leone’s chances of making it to the 2027 AFCON to be co-hosted by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.
The results have also increased pressure on Head Coach Didier Gomes Da Rosa, who was recently appointed with a mandate to take Sierra Leone back to the AFCON after the team missed out on the 2023 edition in Ivory Coast.
Despite his disappointment, Babadi Kamara, who was elected SLFA President in August, urged the players to take responsibility, stay together as a team and fight for redemption in the next window.
He assured them of the FA’s support but warned that Sierra Leoneans expect much better and will not tolerate complacency in the national colours.
