“This is a Painful Moment” – Babadi Kamara Reacts to Leone Stars Back-to-Back Defeats in AFCON Qualifier
Bernice Bangura Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA) President Babadi Kamara has expressed deep disappointment with the Leone Stars following their back-to-back defeats in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers.
Kamara addressed the players before they departed to return to their respective clubs, following Sierra Leone’s 1-0 defeat to Equatorial Guinea on Monday.
The Leone Stars had earlier suffered a 3-2 loss to Zimbabwe in their opening Group E qualifier, leaving the team without a point from their first two matches.
“This is a painful moment for all of us,” Kamara told the players, acknowledging the disappointment among supporters and the wider nation.
The SLFA president criticised the team’s performances and urged the players to take responsibility for their results, stressing that their performances also affect their individual careers.
“We are extremely disappointed. It’s not like we came to play with the objective. This is bad,” Kamara said.
He also questioned the team’s level of commitment and urged the players to approach future international assignments with greater determination.
“If you want to be here, you have to change. When you choose to come, come with your heart,” he said.
Kamara said the Leone Stars must improve their communication and teamwork, while also pointing to concerns over the team’s inability to convert opportunities into goals.
“We have good players. We cannot get the right blame to give results. Maybe there’s an issue. Don’t communicate. Don’t listen to each other. Maybe there’s an issue,” he said.
Sierra Leone fell behind against Equatorial Guinea after Loren Zúñiga scored in the opening minute. Despite having the remainder of the match to respond, the Leone Stars were unable to find an equaliser.
The defeat followed a similar setback against Zimbabwe, where Sierra Leone surrendered a 2-0 lead after goals from Alie Conteh and Sallieu Tarawallie before conceding three second-half goals.
Kamara acknowledged that the qualifying campaign will become increasingly difficult, particularly with Sierra Leone still without a point after two matches.
“The next one is going to be more difficult than the two that we played,” he told the players.
He nevertheless urged the squad to learn from the defeats and prepare differently for their upcoming fixtures.
“I hope we learn from this and see how best we can come at them in a different way,” Kamara said.
The SLFA president also called on the players to remain committed to their careers and to return to their clubs and continue working ahead of the next international window.
“Continue to work. Be more interested in what you do. This is not a lousy job,” he said.
Sierra Leone are scheduled to face São Tomé and Príncipe in their next two AFCON 2027 qualifying fixtures. The Leone Stars will be looking to secure their first points of the campaign and revive their hopes of progressing from Group E.
Kamara ended his address by urging the players to remain in contact and return safely to their respective destinations. “Go back safely. Be in touch. All the best. Good luck,” he told the squad.