Lone Stars of Sierra Leone fall 1-2 to Wild Dogs of Guinea Bissau in Nigeria’s Group A
By Eniola Olatunji
The Djurtus (The African Wild Dogs), Guinea Bissau, stamped an emphatic superiority of the Lone Stars of Sierra Leone with a 2-1 victory on Monday at the Estadio 24 de Setembro in the last match of Group A, where Nigeria reigns as lords.
27 year old Amadou Bakayoko who plays for the Scottish side, Dundee United drew the first blood for Sierra Leone when he brilliantly nodded home a well taken corner kick in the 6th minute for the only goal of Sierra Leone.
The vociferous crowd kept urging the Wild Dogs on, and Carlos Mane got an overlapping central Defender, Nito Gomes to head home a powerful equalizer in the 35th minute.
Right winger, Famana Quizera who plays in Portugal got a loose ball and found 19 year old rampaging Attacker, Franilino Gluda Dju who scored the winner in the 48th minute.
Guinea Bissau players were tensed in the match afraid that the Lone Star guys could draw the rug under them to humiliate them before their home teams and were caught offside 6 times against once of Sierra Leone.
The Leone Stars could not reproduce the brilliance of the first goal wasting their set pieces as the ancient nation for Slave trade had five corner kicks to zero of Guinea Bissau and were more rough being caught for fouls 21 times to Guinea Bissau 16 times.
This is the fourth meeting of Guinea Bissau and Sierra Leone. Both met at the world cup qualifiers in African zone when on 17th October 2007 Sierra Leone spanked Guinea Bissau by a lone goal and on 17th November 2007 they played goalless.
In the first leg of this AFCON qualifier between both nations in Group A, Guinea Bissau playing at home at the General Lansane Conte Stadium, Conakry on 13th June 2022 was forced to 2-2 draw by Sierra Leone. With Referee Huraywidah of Libya in charge, Jorginho scored a brace for Guinea Bissau in the 48th and 63rd minute before Kargbo scored for Sierra Leone in the 78th minute and Kamaru equalized in the 88th minute.
Nigeria scored 22 goals conceding 4 which is a good record in this particular tournament having chalked 15 points to top Group A leaving Guinea Bissau to place second with 13 points and qualify with Nigeria from Group A. Sierra Leone and Sao Tome were left stranded at the exit door with 5 points and just a point respectively.
In a group B qualifier played in Togo, the host nation, Hawks of Togo beat Cape Verde 3-2 but were downed unqualified as Burkina Faso made 11 points to top the group and Cape Verde clicked 10 points to qualify second from the group leaving Togo and Eswatini stranded.
The Scorpions of Gambia yesterday Sunday played 2-2 against Congo in G which made the Stallion of Mali with 15 points to top the group and Gambia 10 points to place second. Congo placed 3rd in the group with 7 points. South Sudan placed fourth in group G with 3 points.
The last qualifying match is for Tomorrow, Tuesday when Group C matches will be concluded at 2000 hours between the Lions of Cameroon and Burundi.
Morocco’s match against Liberia that was scheduled for Morocco on Saturday 9th September at Stade Adrar in group K was postponed by CAF because of the terrible earthquake that has claimed over 2000 lives.