World Cup (Q): Sierra Leone squad announced for final push

The Sierra Leone national team remains in contention for qualification to the 2026 World Cup and head coach Mohamed Kallon announced his list of players last evening for the Leone Stars’ final Group A matches in October.

 

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The Leone Stars begin with a crucial match against Burkina Faso on October 8 at their adopted home in Monrovia, Liberia before facing Djibouti on October 12 in Morocco. The first match is a must-win against the Burkinabe team who are Sierra Leone’s biggest obstacle to finishing as Group A runners-up with Egypt all but confirmed as the group winners.

Sierra Leone are out of the running to win Group A but can move level with Burkina Faso on points with a victory in Liberia and remain in contention for the group runner-up position. Even if they defeat Burkina Faso, the Leone Stars do need to score as many goals as possible considering Burkina Faso’s substantial edge when it comes to goal difference (Burkina Faso: +12, Sierra Leone: +2), or they will need to hope that already eliminated Ethiopia is able to avoid losing in Ouagadougou on the final matchday while Sierra Leone wins as expected against Djibouti.

To this end, Kallon has called in a mostly unchanged selection for the final push with some notable players left out due to injuries. Experienced wingers Augustus Kargbo and Alhassan Koroma as well as striker Kei Kamara and Mohamed Buya Turay are included. Notably, Hannover 96 forward Mustapha Bundu will miss out due to injury and Musa Noah Kamara is unavailable for the forward corps.

The good news is that young phenom Momoh Kamara is in the squad. The 20-year-old playmaker scored in Sierra Leone’s last qualifier against Ethiopia and has been a regular contributor with Minnesota United 2, the Major League Soccer club’s reserve team in MLS Next Pro with three goals and two assists in eleven matches this season.

Another rising star, Juma Bah, will be involved along with fellow defensive stalwarts Alpha Turay, Emmanuel Samadia and another member of Sierra Leone’s successful U-20 group, Nathaniel Jalloh of FC Kallon. Bhantal FC goalkeeper Alhaji Sesay is expected to be the man between the sticks for coach Kallon.