Sierra Leone: Leone Stars departs today for friendlies against Mauritania and Niger

Sierra Leone’s male senior national football team, Leone Stars will play two friendly matches against Mauritania and Niger during the international brake. The fixtures have been confirmed by the General Secretary of the Sierra Leone Football Association, Chris Kamara in an interview with Premier news that the Sierra Leone senior football team will depart Freetown for Nouakchott, the Mauritanian capital today October 6th, 2020 for their first of the two friendlies scheduled for October 9th 2020.

Mr. Kamara went on to say that the SLFA will bear the cost of the air tickets for the Sierra Leone delegation, and the Government of Sierra Leone will foot the cost of their allowances for the two friendlies.

Mr. Kamara further informed this medium that Leone Stars will proceed to Niger after the encounter with Mauritania, where on the 13th October 2020 they will play the Mena Stars of Niger in Niamey. “We are travelling with 25 players and the officials.  The team is expected to leave on Tuesday, 6th October for Mauritania and on the 10th for Niamey via Senegal and return anytime after the 13th, Kamara said.

On the question of the importance of the two friendlies the SLFA Secretary General responded, “They are very important as they put the FA in pole position to the team’s strength before facing Nigeria in back-to-back fixtures in November. This is unprecedented for Sierra Leone to embark on two friendlies before a qualifier in a FIFA calendar date.”

Before going to these two friendlies Sierra Leone is currently ranked 117 in the FIFA World ranking.

By Desmond Tunde Coker

6/10/2020. ISSUE NO: 7924