Premier League club Tottenham 19-year-old player Kallum Cesay has been handed a chance to prove himself against Congo Brazzaville after being named in Sierra Leone’s first eleven.

Leone Stars in high spirit to end their Mediterranean trip on a good footing when they take on the Red Devils of Congo on Tuesday afternoon at the Mardan Sports Multi-Purpose Stadium in Antalya, Turkey.

The kickoff is at 4 PM local time & 1 PM Sierra Leone time. Head Coach John Keister has made eight changes to the squad that defeated Liberia 1-0 on Sunday.

In goal, FC Johansen keeper Unisa Conteh is in for Ibrahim Sesay. In-form East End Lions striker Alie Conteh to start for the first time in Turkey.

Cambuur duo Alex Bangura and Issa Kallon were named to the squad. In Midfield, Kamil Conteh, Ibrahim Sillah and Kallum Cesay.

QPR defender Osman Kakay to start in right-back while Alex Bangura at left-back. Skipper Steven Caulker and Lamin Conteh maintain their positions in central defence.

SLFA Media in Antalya, Turkey

After the opening defeat to Togo, John Keister’s side wrapped up their preparation on Saturday ahead of taking on neighbours Liberia at the Mardan Sports multi-purpose stadium in Aksu, Antalya, Turkey, on Sunday.

With no injury concern for Sierra Leone, Keister says his team is looking forward to Sunday’s match. 

“They are hungry to showcase their talent lots of young players have come in to do their best for the nation. Liberia, as always not an easy side, but we are optimistic of bright light at the end of the tunnel,” the coach told SLFA Media in Turkey.

Both West African neighbours have played eighteen times in all competitions, with the Lone Star of Liberia having the advantage with nine wins, five draws and four defeats.

Sierra Leone won the last meeting at the Siaka Steven Stadium by a goal to nil courtesy of a Kei Kamara’s goal in the FIFA World Cup 1st qualifying round 2nd September 8, 2019, after the Lone Stars had previously won at home 3-1 in the first leg.

As a result, the Leone Stars were eliminated after Umaru Bangura missed a last-gasp penalty kick to put the home side through.

Every meeting between the two nations has been competitive since November 12 1996. The two teams are coming into this contest back of a defeat. Liberia suffered a 4-0 hammering to Benin while Sierra Leone succumbed to a 3-0 beating to Togo.

SLFA Media in Antalya, Turkey

The reigning African champions, Algeria, without a doubt, are the team to beat in this tournament, unbeaten in over 33 games running into the African Cup of Nations in Cameroon.

Algeria kicks things off with Sierra Leone on Tuesday at the Japoma Stadium. Kick-off 13-hour local time is a good test for a Sierra Leone side that has not been in the continental business for 26 years.

Nothing is impossible in world football, but their progress and recent statistics have been on the upwards.

During December’s Arab Cup tournament in Qatar, they defeated Sudan, Lebanon, drew with Egypt to make the quarter-finals.

Furthermore, their under-strength side went on to beat Morocco, host Qatar and Tunisia to win the tournament without some key players like Sofiane Feghouli, Islam Slimani, Riyad Mahrez, to name a few.

They were unbeaten in 2019 hosted in Egypt. Algeria defeated Senegal 1–0 in the final, winning their second title and first since 1990.

Algeria ranked as the 29th best-ranked nation in the world that is 79th place ahead of its West African counterparts (Sierra Leone).

Sierra Leone, on the other hand, to reach Cameroon, staged one of the greatest comebacks in Cup of Nations qualifying history, coming from four goals behind in Nigeria to draw 4-4. 

Winger Kwame Quee, Alhaji Kamara and Mustapha Bundu were all scorers of the goals that stunned the Super Eagles in November 2020. They have all been included in the squad at the tournament, whose realistic target must be third place in Group E. A step better will be a plus for the Leone Stars.

The Sierra Leone battle is not new to their counterpart as it is worth mentioning that it was Algeria, Sierra Leone stunned at home and away to qualify for the AFCON in 1994 in Tunisia.

On August 29 1992, a resilient Sierra Leone side defeated their North African Counterparts 1-0 in Freetown from a John Sama header. The Leone Stars held Algeria to a goalless draw at the Stadium, Annaba in Algeria 9 April 1993.

Their last meeting between the two nations was a 2-0 win for Algeria during the 1996 AFCON in South Africa. Both goals were scored by Ali Meçabih  41′, 63′ at the Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein.

• Recap of Group E contenders

Algeria

Nickname: Les Fennecs (Desert Foxes) – current Total Energies AFCON champions – last won it 2019 beating Senegal 1-0 in Egypt

The Desert Foxes of Algeria 19th AFCON appearances and they have won the title twice, at home in 1990 and the last edition in Egypt 2019.

Les Fennecs scored 19 goals in the qualifiers, more than any other team. Baghdad Bounedjah, the scorer of the 2019 AFCON final winner, was their top scorer with four goals.

Sierra Leone

Nickname: Leone Stars

The West African nation was the last to pick their AFCON ticket with a 1-0 win over Benin in June as they prepare to make their 3rd appearance for the first time since back-to-back participation in 1994 and 1996.

Sierra Leone finished second in Group L behind Nigeria, with Alhaji Kamra and Kwame Quee being their top scorers on two goals each.

Equatorial Guinea 

 Nickname: Nzalang Nacional (National Thunder)

This is Equatorial Guinea’s third AFCON appearance and their first from the qualifying series. They only appeared before as co-hosts with Gabon in 2012 and as hosts in 2015.

Nzalang Nacional best outing was when they finished fourth at home in 2015. Equatorial Guinea finished Group J as runner ups. Pedro Obiang was their best scorer with two goals.

Côte d’Ivoire 

Nickname: Les Elephants (The Elephants)

This is Côte d’Ivoire’s 24th AFCON appearance. Only Egypt (25) has a better record of playing in the AFCON finals. They will host the finals in 2023.

Les Elephants won the title twice, in 1992 and 2015, ironically beating Ghana on penalties on both occasions. Frank Kessie was Cote d’Ivoire’s top goal-scorer in the qualifiers, having scored three goals as Les Elephants topped Group K.

The top two teams of each group and the four highest-ranked third-placed teams will advance to the round of 16. 

Winners of the round of sixteen will advance to the quarter-finals, and the quarter-final winners will advance to the semi-finals. The semi-final losers will play in a third-place match, while the semi-final winners will contest the final

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