The Shooting Stars, Sierra Leone’s U-20 national football team, made a historic debut at the 2025 TotalEnergies U-20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco, earning a commendable 0-0 draw against Zambia in their opening match.
This marks Sierra Leone’s first appearance at the U-20 AFCON finals, following their impressive performance in the WAFU Zone A qualifiers.
The match showcased the Shooting Stars’ determination and defensive prowess, holding off the competition’s favourite Zambia.
Despite the lack of goals, Sierra Leone’s performance was lauded as a significant achievement, reflecting the team’s growth and potential on the continental stage.
The Shooting Stars’ journey to the AFCON finals was marked by a series of strong performances, including a 3-0 victory over The Gambia in the WAFU Zone A semi-finals, which secured their qualification. Their campaign includes victories over Guinea-Bissau, ans Liberia, before falling to Senegal in the final.
Head Coach Mohamed Lamin Kamara has assembled a 26-man squad blending local talents with players based abroad. Notable inclusions are captain and forward Momoh Ibrahim Kamara, who was named Best Player at the WAFU tournament, Arsenal’s academyย player Osman Kamara, and goalkeeper Mamadou Jalloh from Denmark’s Brรธndby IF youth system.
Sierra Leone is placed in Group A alongside hosts Egypt, Zambia, South Africa, and Tanzania.
The team’s opening match coincides with Sierra Leone’s 64th Independence Day, which is 27 April.
The tournament runs from April 27 to May 18, with matches hosted across Cairo, Ismailia, and Suez. The top four teams will qualify for the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile later this year.
I want to watch the football game