FREETOWN, Sierra Leone – FC Kallon, the proud representative of Sierra Leone in the CAF Confederation Cup, are on the cusp of making history as they prepare to host Dreams FC on Saturday in their quest for their first-ever Inter-club group stage qualification.
In the first leg of this high-stakes encounter, the Ghanaian side, Dreams FC, managed to secure a narrow 2-1 victory at the Accra Sports Stadium. However, FC Kallon, now the home team at the Liberian capital, Monrovia, remains undeterred and filled with genuine hope of advancing to the competition’s group stage.
Notably, no Sierra Leonean club has achieved the remarkable feat of reaching the group stage in the second-tier competition of African club football since its inception in 2004. In 2004, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) merged the African Cup Winners’ Cup, created in 1975, with the CAF Cup, introduced in 1992, to form the Confederation Cup, which is now considered the second-most prestigious African club competition.
Dreams FC earned their spot in this competition stage after a hard-fought 3-2 aggregate victory over Milo FC of Guinea. Coach Karim Zito, leading the Ghanaian side, acknowledged the goal-scoring prowess of their Sierra Leonean opponents but expressed confidence in his team’s ability to secure victory in Liberia.
Coach Zito stated, “For us, reaching the next stage of the competition is our target – we are one step closer after the two-legged game. Our objective is to ensure we qualify.”
Notably, Coach Karim Zito previously guided FC Kallon through the CAF Inter-club Confederation Cup last September, successfully progressing to the second qualifying stage. Under his tutelage, FC Kallon eliminated Buffles de Borgou of Benin with a resounding 4-0 aggregate victory. However, they faced a formidable challenge in the form of Egyptian side FC Future in the second preliminary round, suffering a heavy defeat over the two legs.
The football world eagerly awaits Saturday’s showdown as FC Kallon aims to break new ground in Sierra Leonean football by securing a place in the prestigious CAF Confederation Cup group stage.
