By Mohamed Foday Conteh & Alpha Abu
The roar of delirious fans drowned even the noise of the evening rush hour traffic in central Freetown to herald another epic chapter in Sierra Leone’s football history: Leone Stars have finally triumphed over a rather edgy bunch of opponents in the Squirrels of Benin, to make it through to Cameroon AfCON 2022.
They beat Benin from a spot-kick that was clinically converted by veteran Minnesota United player Kei Kamara just 19 minutes into the first half of play in their crucial encounter that was played in Conakry Guinea on Tuesday 15 June 2021. Captain Adenon got a hand to a cross from Stars right fullback Osman Kakay.
It took one generation for the Stars to be counted amongst the continent’s elite national football teams once again. The scenes of jubilation, including the mobbing of the motorcade of President Julius Maada Bio from the gates of State house and through the streets of Freetown enroute to his Hill Station lodge, just about summed up the long thirst of fans that was quenched in laborious and dramatic fashion.
The road to Cameroon was fraught with intrigue, suspicion and mistrust. The game was originally billed for Freetown but was called off and shifted to a neutral venue after the visitors challenged the veracity of a coronavirus test result here that showed 5 of their players positive. CAF then amidst protests from both sides stood their ground and ordered the game be played in a different pitch. Neighboring Guinea was chosen but again on Monday 14 June 2021 the day for the match, it emerged that 6 Leone Stars players were this time tested positive of the virus just under an hour before kickoff.
Sierra Leonean officials argued that the Liberian CAF official in charge of the match had told them hours before the match that all players and staff had tested negative.
This nation was stunned and as the clouds got darker over the Stade De Generale Lansana Conte’ de Nongo, another round of test was ordered and the game rescheduled for the next day. The result confirmed 5 positive cases and gave a negative for a goalkeeper . The match then went ahead with a lot of nail-biting by Sierra Leonean fans. Back in Cotonou it was probably not as tense in Freetown because they only needed a draw but again that can be disputed if one could reflect on the shenanigans the Beninese had manifested in Freetown before.
Both teams were part of Group L where Nigeria had already qualified with 14 points winning 4 games and drawing 2. Going into this match, Benin were leading by three points but a win by Sierra Leone could have equaled points but goal difference would prove crucial and that it turned out to be, in favour of Leone Stars.
Sierra Leone had previously qualified twice; 1994 in Tunisia and 1996 in South Africa. Benin got their first qualification in 2004 and had been regulars since then, missing out only once.
“Football is what really unites us as Sierra Leoneans –most of us here have our different cultural, political and religious backgrounds but this evening we are all one and the same; Sierra Leoneans and we are here to celebrate,” Mohamed Rashid Swarray explained with a broad smile.
Speaking to Politico amid a loud chant of jubilant Leone Stars supporters in the background, President Julius Maada Bio said it was a “fulfilling feeling”. He said it was “pleasing that we have joined the continental big boys of football after 25 years. I made the promise and I’m pleased that we have been able to deliver on it”. Who will disagree!
Copyright © 2021 Politico Online (16/06/21)
