Sierra Leone delivered a commanding second-half performance to stun tournament hosts Egypt 4-1 in a Group A second-round match at the CAF U-20 Africa Cup of Nations on Wednesday, 30 April, 2025.
Despite taking a first-half lead through Ahmed Khaled, the young Pharaohs were overrun after the break, with midfielder Momoh Kamara netting a sensational hat-trick and Sallieu Bah converting a penalty to cap a remarkable turnaround.
Egypt entered the encounter at the Cairo International Stadium, sustained by a narrow 1-0 victory over South Africa in their opening match, while Sierra Leone had been frustrated in a goalless stalemate with Zambia.
The hosts started with early intent and dictated much of the first half, although clear-cut chances were scarce. Sierra Leone, however, began to pose a threat on the counter. They thought they had broken the deadlock in the 24th minute through Sulaiman Kargbo, but the goal was ruled out after a VAR intervention for offside.
Egypt eventually broke through in first-half stoppage time when Khaled, known as ‘Kabaka’, latched onto a precise pass from Mohamed El-Sayed to tap home and give the home side a 1-0 halftime lead.
The momentum shifted dramatically after the interval. Despite introducing fresh legs in the form of Mohamed Raafat and Seif El-Deen Essam, Egypt failed to regain control.
Sierra Leone drew level in the 63rd minute when Kamara curled a superb left-footed shot from the edge of the area. Just three minutes later, he pounced on a defensive error to slot home his second and turn the game on its head.
The West Africans extended their lead in the 79th minute from the penalty spot after VAR confirmed a handball by Egypt defender Ahmed Samir. Bah stepped up and made no mistake.
Kamara completed his hat-trick in stoppage time with a clinical strike from distance after a swift counterattack, sealing a famous win for Sierra Leone.
The result catapults Sierra Leone to the top of Group A with four points, ahead of South Africa on goal difference. Egypt, now third with three points, face a crucial final group match against Zambia on Saturday. Only the top two teams in each group and the two best third-placed sides will advance to the quarter-finals.
