Sierra Leone Senior National team Leone Stars will today face the Super Eagles of Nigeria in the first leg of the 2023 Africa Cup Nations qualifiers at the MKO Abiola Stadium in Abuja.
According to Ibrahim Kamara, the head of Media and Marketing at Sierra Leone Football Association said the team is in high spirit to face the Super Eagles of Nigeria in their first AFCON opener, the players have been in intensive training to get for the crunch tie. He noted that Leone Stars players are highly determined for the match day, one thing that has made the players more determined is the fact that Nigeria is one of the big nations in terms of football in Africa and that has motivated the players.
He furthered that the team had their last training session at the match venue Abiola Stadium as they brace up for the match today at (5:00) pm and (4:00 ) pm local time back home,
“The players and technical team are not going to be complacent about the fact that, Leone Stars’ last results against the super Eagles have created more tension among the Nigerian players and fans, and that is why they have taken this match with the utmost seriousness it deserved”, he explained.
For some Leone Stars players, this will be their first match against Nigeria but for them, they want to prove a mark to their clubs, Parents, and the football family back home.
The Minister of Sports Ibrahim Nylenkeh in an interview said Leone Stars are meeting Nigeria for the second time in the African nation’s cup qualifiers the last time they ended in a stalemate.
“With the young and determined players, I believe we will defeat Nigeria in today’s match, we are determined and more prepared than ever before to bring down the Super Eagles”, the minister said.
“He furthered that the government support for Leone Stars has been addressed, and that the government of President Maada Bio has taken Sports very seriously even though football.” he added.
According to him no Government has done this before, and maintained that the nation is getting the results.
Osman Kaikaya defender playing his professional football for Portsmouth in England in audio he did on social media said that the players are in high spirits to face the Super Eagles and they are ready to represent their Country.
All the (25) invited players twenty players have been in intensive training and are all fit ahead of match day, John Keister and the technical team are looking to set another upset against their Nigeria Counterpart in the AFCON opener.
Sierra Leone and Nigeria have met (16) times in all competitions and the Super Eagles have a better record against the Leone Stars they have won (9) times drawn (5) times and lost (2) times, this will be their (17) meetings in all tournaments.
