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East End Lions have been eliminated from the CAF Confederation Cup after a 2-2 draw with Ivorian side AF Amadou Diallo in their second-leg preliminary round tie in Monrovia.
The Sierra Leonean champions were unable to turn the tie in their favour after being held to a 1-1 draw by AFAD in the first leg in Abidjan last week.
The two sides finished level at 3-3 on aggregate, but AFAD advanced on goal difference.
The result means East End Lions’ latest attempt to make an impact in continental competition has ended at the first hurdle.
CAF had scheduled the second leg at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex in Paynesville, Liberia, after the first meeting in Abidjan. The first leg had left the tie finely balanced, with both teams needing a strong performance in the return fixture to progress.
For the Killers, the elimination will be particularly disappointing given their status as one of Sierra Leone’s most successful clubs. The Freetown side have won the domestic league on numerous occasions and returned to continental competition after winning the 2025 Sierra Leone Premier League title.
However, domestic success has not translated into sustained progress in CAF competitions.
East End Lions have struggled to advance deep into African club competitions for decades.
The club’s historical record includes appearances in the African Cup of Champions Clubs, CAF Champions League, CAF Cup, CAF Confederation Cup and African Cup Winners’ Cup. Their best recorded performances include reaching the second round of the African Cup Winners’ Cup in 1990 and the first round of the CAF Cup in 1992.
In more recent years, their continental campaigns have also ended early. Lions were eliminated by Senegal’s ASC Jaraaf in the 2024/25 CAF Confederation Cup, losing both legs 1-0 at home and 3-0 away.
