Sierra Leone’s U-20 team, the Shooting Stars, continued their impressive run at the TotalEnergies CAF U-20 Africa Cup of Nations with a 1-0 victory over Tanzania on Saturday, maintaining their unbeaten record and climbing to the top of Group A.
Striker Samuel Gandi scored the decisive goal in the 37th minute at the Suez Canal Stadium, securing back-to-back wins for Sierra Leone, who had earlier stunned hosts Egypt with a 4-1 comeback triumph. The result brings their total to seven points from three matches, following an opening draw against Zambia, and places them firmly in control of the group heading into the final round of matches.
Captain Momoh I. Kamara, the hero of the Egypt match with a sensational hat-trick, was once again instrumental and earned his second consecutive Man of the Match award, underlining his growing influence in the tournament.
With one group match remaining against South Africa, the Shooting Stars are now strong contenders to reach the quarterfinals. A draw would be enough to guarantee qualification, and a win would confirm top spot in the group.
Sierra Leone lead Group A ahead of Egypt (4 points), South Africa (3), Zambia (2), and Tanzania (0). The top two teams from each group, along with the two best third-placed sides, will progress to the knockout stage. Moreover, the four semi-finalists will secure automatic qualification for the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile later this year.
Sierra Leone’s blend of resilience, discipline, and clinical finishing has made them one of the standout teams of the tournament so far.
