By Desmond Tunde Coker
Dakar, Senegal — Sierra Leone’s U-17 team saw their AFCON dreams dashed after a narrow 1-0 defeat to Guinea-Bissau, ending their run in the WAFU A U-17 AFCON Qualifiers. The match, held in Senegal, saw Jose Henrique’s decisive goal for Guinea-Bissau secure their advance to the semi-finals, while Sierra Leone’s hopes were cut short.
Sierra Leone entered the game with hopes of securing a spot in the semi-finals, needing at least a draw to progress. Despite a determined performance, the team was unable to find the net. The defeat leaves Sierra Leone with a single win out of three games and three points, one point short of qualification. A draw in this match would have brought their total to four points, enough to see them through.
Now eliminated, the young squad will return home with a single victory in the tournament, ending what they hoped would be a breakthrough journey.