By: Mohamed Abu Conteh
Leone Stars head coach John Keister has ushered a platform for five home-based players to earn a senior call-up for the first time after announcing the final squad for the double-legged clash against Sao Tome Principe in the African Cup of Nation (AFCON) qualifier earlier this week in a Press Conference held at the SLFA Secretariat in Kingdom.
Premier League leader Bo Rangers trio Abu Komeh the joint leading top scorer of the 2022/23 Sierra Leone Premier League season with seven goals and the sublime midfielders Ibrahim Turay and Mohamed Kabba are among the eleven home-based players that made it in the final squad.
Mighty Blackpool Football Club the second-placed side in the league log skipper and forward Ron Ghandy-Williams who has scored four goals in the 2022/23 league season is one of the debutants in the Leone Stars squad among the three home-based forwards.
Again, Luawa FC newcomers in the Sierra Leone Premier League in-form defender Edward I. Fornah earned his first Leone Stars call-up following his masterstroke performance, and in 2022 he was part of the U-23 side of Sierra Leone in the Total Energies- U23 AFCON qualifier against Zambia.
However, Montenegro’s FK Mornar forward Rodney Michael has been ruled out due to a hamstring injury, while Sierra Leone sits third in Group A with one point out of two matches played and both matches against Sao Tome Principe will be played in Morocco on the 22nd and 26th March respectively.
In another development, Leone Stars’ home-based team and technical team will on 19th March 2023 depart the shores of Freetown for Morocco to start preparations ahead for the double clash against the Wild Dogs of Sao Tome Precipe on the 22nd of this month at the Agair Stadium and the return leg four days later.
Head-to-head between the two sides Sierra Leone and Sao Tome Principe have met four times and Sierra Leone has defeated one while Sao Tome Principe has defeated Sierra Leone two times and they both settle for one draw the 22nd and 26 meetings will mark the sixth meetings.
