Popular Sierra Leonean Politician and Philanthropist, Beresford Victor Williams has expressed his dismay and disappointment over the loss of the Sierra Leone football national team, the Leone Stars to Equatorial Guinea, at the ongoing African Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Cameroon.

Leone stars players has lost out of the Le 200,000,000 ($20,000) each he promised them if they win the AFCON tournament. He revealed that the team has under perform during the tournament as they were one of the favourite to win the tournament after their performances with Algeria and Ivory Coast.

Sierra Leone was on Thursday eliminated from the competition after failing to secure the needed points to progress to the next stage of the competition. Equatorial Guinea claimed a 1-0 win over Sierra Leone to book their passage to the knockout stages of the Africa Cup of Nations.

Sierra Leone had needed a point to progress, but veteran striker Kei Kamara saw an 84th-minute penalty saved by Jesus Owono. Their performance was way below their abilities and maybe it was complacency within the team by not preparing enough or under estimate their opponents, he said.

The Leone Stars, making their first appearance at the Nations Cup since 1996, had drawn their first two games against defending champions Algeria and two-time winners Ivory Coast to give themselves a chance of going through. Yet they struggled to create meaningful chances in Limbe. Mr Williams expressed that maybe the general sports in the country should be looked at to overall the future performance in both the training facilities, their preparation and performance abilities as this is unacceptable.

“It was very disappointing. Losing a game like this is very disappointing,” Mr. Williams told Sierraloaded.

However, He urged the team not to relent and use the opportunity to make reflections and changes that will be implemented in further games so as to make us proud as a nation, in the world of football.

It would be recalled that Mr Williams had promised to give Le200 Million ($20,000) to each player of the Sierra Leone national team if they win the 2021 African Cup of Nations (AFCON).