AFCONQ: Sierra Leone and Nigeria share spoils in Freetown

• Sierra Leone after their impressive come back in Nigeria last Friday was cautious in their matchday four of the Africa Cup of Nations Group L qualifying match at the Freetown Stadium on Tuesday.

Both nations in the race to Cameroon 2022 played to a barren draw in a less entertaining encounter.

The result means Sierra Leone must win their remaining matches hoping Benin will drop points against Nigeria if they are to reach the Africa Cup of Nations for the third time since 1996 in South Africa.

Both sides were pragmatic in their approach with some scrappy football with far fewer clear chances.

Home-based defender Abu Bakarra Samura, who steps in for skipper Umaru Bangura was impressive.

Sierra Leone coach John Keister made three substitutions to bolster with some fresh legs; Anderlecht Mustapha Bundu was in for Rodney Strasser in 56. Alhaji Kamara, who scored a brace in the first leg was subbed off in the 76-minute before Mustapha Dumbuya was replaced with Osman Kakay, in an attempt to nick the game.

Elsewhere in the group, Benin battled a goalless draw at the Setsoto Stadium earlier today.

Nigeria stood the top of Group L with eight points, one more than second-placed Benin. Sierra Leone on three points, and Lesotho on two.

Meanwhile, Senegal becomes the first nation to qualify for the tournament slated for Cameroon.

The 2022 Africa Cup of Nations is the 33rd edition of the Africa Cup of Nations, the biennial international men’s football championship of Africa organized by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

Sierra Leone: Mohamed Kamara, Mohamed Buya Turay, Mustapha Dumbuya (Osman Kaykay 81’), Yeami Dunia, Alhaji Kamara (Alhassan Koroma 76’), Kei Kamara, Medo, Kwame Quee, Rodney Strasser (Mustapha Bundu 56’), Abu Suma, Kevin Wright

Nigeria: Maduka Okoye, Ola Aina, Leon Balogun, William Troost-Ekong, Kevin Akpoguma (Chidozie Awaziem 74’), Joe Aribo (Semi Ajayi 84’), Oghenekaro Etebo (Shehu Abdullahi 39’), Alex Iwobi, Ahmed Musa, Samuel Chukwueze, Kelechi Iheanacho (Emmanuel Dennis 84’)

Full Afcon Results Listed

Tuesday’s Afcon 2021 qualifiers:

• Ethiopia 3-0 Niger (Grp K)
• Madagascar 1-1 Ivory Coast (Grp K)
• Lesotho 0-0 Benin (Grp L)
• Rwanda 0-0 Cape Verde (Grp F)
• Sudan 1-0 Ghana (Grp C)
• Central Africa 0-2 Morocco (Grp E)
• Angola 0-1 DR Congo (Grp D)
• Sierra Leone 0-0 Nigeria (Grp L)
• Togo 1-3 Egypt (Grp G)
• Namibia 1-2 Mali (Grp A)
• Tanzania 1-1 Tunisia (Grp J)

Monday’s results:

• Eswatini 0-0 Congo (Grp I)
• Malawi 0-0 Burkina Faso (Grp B)
• South Sudan 1-0 Uganda (Grp B)
• Sao Tome and Principe 2-4 South Africa (Grp C)
• Zimbabwe 2-2 Algeria (Grp H)
• Botswana 1-0 Zambia (Grp H)
• The Gambia 2-1 Gabon (Grp D)
• Mozambique 2-0 Cameroon (Grp F)

Sunday’s results:

• Equatorial Guinea 1-0 Libya (Grp J)
• Chad 1-1 Guinea (Grp A)
• Comoros 2-1 Kenya (Grp G)
• Guinea Bissau 0-1 Senegal (Grp I)
• Burundi 3-1 Mauritania (Grp E )