Shooting Stars Return Home After Missing U-20 AFCON Qualification
Aminata Koroma Sierra Leone’s Under-20 national team, the Shooting Stars, returned home from Mali after narrowly missing qualification for the 2027 U-20 Africa Cup of Nations in Ghana.
The Shooting Stars finished fourth at the 2026 WAFU A U-20 Tournament after reaching the semi-finals, where their hopes of advancing to the final were ended by The Gambia.
Sierra Leone began the competition against Mauritania and Senegal, showing determination and resilience to progress to the last four. However, they were unable to overcome The Gambia in the semi-final.
The young side later faced Senegal in the third-place playoff, where both teams battled to secure victory before the encounter was decided by a penalty shootout. Senegal eventually won 6-5 to claim third place, leaving Sierra Leone fourth in the competition.
Despite missing out on the U-20 AFCON qualification, the tournament offered the young players valuable international exposure and an opportunity to test themselves against other emerging talents in the sub-region.
The 38-member delegation, comprising 25 players and 13 officials, has safely returned to Sierra Leone following the conclusion of the tournament concluded
The experience gained in Mali is expected to provide an important foundation for the continued development of the country’s next generation of footballers.