The decisive African Cup of Nations qualifier between Sierra Leone and Benin has been rescheduled for Tuesday, June 15, after another Covid-19 controversy.
The Sierra Leone team was doing their pre-match warm-up at the Général Lansana Conté de Nongo in Guinea when their officials received news that six players infected by Covid-19.
As a result of that, the Sierra Leoneans refused to go on with the encounter as they questioned the timing and reliability of the Covid-19 test. After several hours of delays, the decider was rescheduled for Tuesday.
There was a suggestion by CAF for a rapid test to be conducted after initial tests returned six positive results. Somehow, the situation became confusing after the team were misinformed that CAF would only accept the results of a regular test and that the team should head back to the hotel for that.
New PCR tests result are expected before kickoff on Tuesday.
Those allegedly infected with the coronavirus include Peterborough striker Idris Kanu. Kanu, 21, was named in the Sierra Leone squad for the first. He was in line to make his debut from the bench.
The others are goalkeepers Ibrahim Sesay and Francis Koroma, Augustus Kargbo, Alusine Koroma and Kassim Sima Turay.
The match in Guinea was to settle a place at the 24-team Cup of Nations finals in Cameroon next January Benin needing a draw, but their hosts had to win.
It is the second time the Sierra Leone and Benin qualifier has been called off due to alleged fake covid-19 results. The Confederation of African Football has ordered the game to play on Tuesday.
Defending champions Algeria, host Cameroon and record seven-time title-holders Egypt are all amongst the 23 nations already qualified.
Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Comoros, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Nigeria, Senegal, Sudan, Tunisia and Zimbabwe, have also secured places.
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