After The Rain Comes The Sunshine: Leone Stars Lit Up Sierra Leone With Huge Smiles As They Beat The Squirrels of Benin To Qualify For The Nations Cup

The final group match between Benin and Sierra Leone was enshrouded in controversies ranging from Covid-19 test et al and when CAF decided to have the match played on neutral ground, the controversy continued, as key players from both teams were barred from taking part because of Covid cases however both countries reached an agreement to have the match played on the 15th of June 2021 after it was originally canceled on the Monday the 14th of June 2021.

Both teams came into the match with confidence, while the Benin Squirrels needed a draw to scale through, the Leone Stars required a win to go through. The game was barely six minutes old when Benin Steve Mounie almost nicked a goal for his side but Leone stars goal Keeper Mohammed Kamara stood to the test with his saving hands.

As both sides continued to size up each other Augustine Williams wasted a glorious chance for the Leone Stars in the 14th minute with other gluts of missed opportunities and in the 18th minute the Benin Squirrels captain Khaled Adenon handled the ball inside his box and Tunisian referee Haythem Guirat wasted no time in pointing to the penalty spot after issuing a yellow card the defender.

When Leone Stars Kai Kamara steps up to take that decisive penalty kick that would cement Sierra Leone’s participation at the next cup of Nations in Cameroun, the nation stood still in apprehension before the spot-kick, and by the time the ball kissed the back of the net, the nation went agog and at the end of the enthralling encounter at the General Lansana Conte Stadium in Guniea. Sierra Leone went berserk in celebration after 27, sojourn in the wilderness of struggling to participate in the Africa Nations Cup competition, Coach John Kester led Leone Stars of Sierra Leone to defeat the Squirrels of the Benin Republic in a fixture that initially drew bad blood and was later rescheduled on neutral ground in Guinea on June 15, 2021.

The Sierra Leone President His Excellency Retd Brig. Julius Maada Bio celebrated with Sierra Leoneans who defy the rain, and protocols to throng the statehouses in their thousands within the city. The President praised the Leone Stars for making the nation proud and promised to keep supporting the team to achieve more greatness under his regime.