Sierra Leone’s Under-20 national football team, the Shooting Stars, have departed for Mali to compete in the WAFU Zone A U-20 Tournament, with the ambition of securing qualification for the 2027 Africa U-20 Cup of Nations in Ghana.
The regional competition offers the young Sierra Leonean side an opportunity to secure a place at the continental championship and build on the country’s recent achievements in youth football.
Ahead of the team’s departure, Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA) Vice President II, Prince Saquee, encouraged the players to remain disciplined, focused and determined throughout the tournament.
Addressing the squad, Saquee emphasised the importance of teamwork and commitment, reminding the players of their responsibility to represent Sierra Leone with pride.
He also urged them to approach every match with a winning mentality and make the most of the opportunity to compete against other West African nations.
The Shooting Stars will be hoping to draw inspiration from their previous appearance at the U-20 Africa Cup of Nations, where they reached the quarter-finals before being eliminated by Morocco.
That performance marked an important chapter in Sierra Leone’s youth football development and raised expectations for the country’s next generation of players.
The tournament in Mali will provide another test of the team’s progress as they seek to establish themselves among the leading youth sides in the sub-region.
With a place at the 2027 continental championship at stake, Sierra Leone will be looking to deliver strong performances and maintain its growing presence on the African youth football stage.
The Shooting Stars now face the challenge of turning their qualification ambitions into results on the pitch as they pursue another appearance at the U-20 AFCON.
