U-20 AFCON: Tanzania coach Mkwasa questions real age of Sierra Leone players

Tanzania Football Federation/Facebook

Head coach of the Tanzania U-20 national team, Boniface Mkwasa, has cast doubts over the real age of Sierra Leone players after their slim 1-0 2025 U-20 Africa Cup of Nations Group A loss in Ismailia, Egypt.

Sierra Leone, who are making their U-20 AFCON debut, defeated Tanzania by 1-0 in their third game to top Group A on 7 points. The Shooting Stars held Zambia to a goalless draw in the opener before dispatching hosts Egypt by 4-1 in the second game.

Mkwasa raised concerns about Sierra Leone players, saying that some of the squad members may be older than twenty years old.

"These are local players, most of them are playing the second division or the first division. Even this team, Sierra Leone, if you see them, they are a bit bigger and age-wise it's not under-20 if you see but we put more effort now to build up this youth program so that in the future we come up with a good and strong side," Mkwasa said.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) introduced the MRI scans just to curb age cheating but that is limited to the U-17 boys level.

Sierra Leone became the first team to qualify for the quarterfinals of the competition and they will face South Africa in their last group game on Tuesday, May 6. The semifinalists will qualify for the 2025 FIFA World Cup to be hosted in Chile this year.