Ahead of their 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Nigeria and Guinea-Bissau, the Sierra Leone Football Association on Wednesday released a 25-man squad to execute both games.
Head Coach, John Keister, included Stephen Caulker, a former England international and former Liverpool defender, and Queen Park Rangers’ Osman Kakay, as part of the 25-man squad for the qualifiers.
Caulker, who won one cap for the Three Lions of England before switching allegiance, was instrumental to the Leone Stars’ impressive performance at the 2021 AFCON in Cameroon.
Keister’s men played a goalless draw against then champions Algeria in their opening game, before another 2-2 stalemate against Ivory Coast. They lost 1-0 to Equatorial Guinea in their final group game, and the West Africans are now hoping to return to the competition for a second consecutive time.
Majority of the players in the squad had participated at the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon, with five new players injected into the team.
China-based striker Mohamed Buya Turay, Augustus Kargbo, who plays for Serie B club Crotone, defensive midfielder John Kamara of Politenica-lasi, Sirius left-back Kevin Wrights and Mustapha Bandu are some of the regular stars who made the squad.
The quintet of; Ibrahim Sillah, Kallum Cesay, Amadou Bakayoko, Kamil Conteh and Jonathan Morsay were called up for the first time.
There was however no place for former captain , Umaru Bangura , Charleston Battery’s striker Augustine Williams, Issa Kallon and Randers striker Alhaji Kamara.
The Leone Stars will confront the Super Eagles at the Moshood Abiola Stadium, Abuja on Thursday, June 9.
Keister’s men will host the Djurtus of Guinea-Bissau four days later at the General Lansana Conte Stadium.
Nigeria last faced Sierra Leone at the last AFCON qualifiers in 2020 and played out a disappointing 4-4 draw at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin City before a goalless stalemate in Freetown.
