AFCON 2021: Sierra Leone – Team guide, key players and full fixtures

The intrigue that preceded Sierra Leone’s final Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier against Benin was quite sordid, but it was a handy anecdote for what it means to qualify for this showpiece event.

In the end, it was the Leone Stars that made it through in an epic playoff that took place three months after the series had officially ended. That 1-0 win, achieved in Conakry, was Sierra Leone’s only victory in Group L, but they also only lost once.

Without the benefit of World Cup qualifiers (they did not progress beyond the First Round), Sierra Leone have occupied themselves with friendlies in 2021, enjoying an extended preparation that coach John Keister will hope can make the difference when AFCON kicks off. A batch of friendlies during the October international window yielded a draw against South Sudan, a victory over Gambia and defeat at the hands of Morocco, who fielded an understrength team.

Sierra Leone are currently ranked 25th in Africa and 108th in the world, according to FIFA’s ranking for December.

This year’s AFCON will be Sierra Leone’s third in history. The first two came following back-to-back qualifications in the late 1990s. However, the prospect of a sustained run at Africa’s top table never quite materialised for the Leone Star; they have spent the subsequent 25 years in limbo, and are only now making their return.

England-born former international John Keister is in charge of this team, and has been since 2020 when he was re-appointed for a second spell. Charged with refreshing the squad and putting Sierra Leonean football back on the map, the 51-year-old has them lining up mostly in a 4-2-3-1, but also sometimes in a 5-3-2. In the latter system, they are quick to use the wing-backs as outlets as immediately as possible, while in the former, it is about hitting the wingers in space early, often by playing down the sides.

At 37, Kei Kamara has to be one of the oldest debutants in the history of AFCON. The Major League Soccer (MLS) legend is Sierra Leone’s highest-profile player, even if he is long in the tooth, and acts as the link between the midfield and the attack, either as a false nine or as a number 10.

However, when the team needs a more physical battering ram upfront, they look to Randers-based Alhaji Kamara, who puts himself about and is a real presence in the air to win aerial duels and attack crosses. At the back, Umaru Bangura is crucial as a leader and organiser, even if only for the fact that goalkeeper Mohamed Kamara is far from secure.

At 19, Daniel Francis is one of the youngest players in the competition. He only debuted in the second half of 2021, and is a left-back of some promise. He might, however, find breaking into the starting lineup challenging.

Mohamed Kamara; Osman Kakay, Umaru Bangura, Steven Caulker, Yeami Dunia, Saidu Mansaray; John Bankole Kamara, Mohamed Kamara, Kwame Quee; Kei Kamara, Alhaji Kamara.

Keister has shown himself tactically astute, so it is unlikely Sierra Leone will get embarrassed. However, they are so clearly the least-talented side in this group, and will struggle to get any points on the board at all.