Amidu Karim says he was pleased with his opening two matches as head coach in charge of Sierra Leone’s Leone Stars for friendly games in Morocco.
On Tuesday, his preparation continued following a 2-0 win over Somalia in a tier-two friendly in Casablanca, Morocco. His first task was a 1-1 draw with Benin.
Leone Stars secured a pass mark unbeaten in their Morocco camp, a start to life the coach was pleased about.
Under Karim’s guidance, Odense Boldklub striker Mohamed Buya Turay scored his first three International goals for Sierra Leone.
“Generally, the experience was a unique one, as a technical team, we are pleased with the outcome of both matches. I am pleased also because it is my first time as head coach – hence, starting well in charge was precisely the target.”
“In the competition proper, two games and four points will be immense for us. However, this is just a start – we remain focused and working on the areas to strengthen ahead of difficult matches in November.
I was a bit disappointed not to win against Benin as we came very close. I must commend the players for their commitment as well. In Football, it’s not easy to get 100 per cent, but they’ve shown me a lot. We still have to make decisions for the success of Sierra Leone.”
The World Cup 2026 qualifiers will see Sierra Leone battle Ethiopia and Egypt in Group A doubleheader in November – these games will be the ultimate test in Karim’s reign.
Sierra Leone, Ethiopia, powerhouse Egypt, Burkina Faso, Guinea-Bissau and Djibouti all makeup Group A in the race to the 2026 World Cup.
The continental journey to qualify for the FIFA World Cup 2026 in the USA, Mexico and Canada will begin in November 2023.
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