By Aminaash Nyande Brima
El Jadida, Morocco, September 24, 2026 —* Sierra Leone’s Ambassador to Morocco, His Excellency Alhaji Momodu Koroma, has urged the Leone Stars to make the country proud as they prepare to face Zimbabwe in their opening match of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign.
Ambassador Koroma made the call during a visit to the national team’s camp at Hotel Deauville in El Jadida, where he welcomed the players and technical delegation ahead of Thursday’s encounter.
Sierra Leone will host Zimbabwe at the Ben M’Hamed Stadium in El Jadida on Thursday, September 24, with the Leone Stars playing their home fixture in Morocco.
The team arrived in Casablanca on Sunday, September 20, before traveling to El Jadida, where preparations began under Head Coach Didier Gomez Da Rosa.
Ambassador Calls for National Support
During his meeting with the squad, Ambassador Koroma thanked the players and technical team for representing Sierra Leone and expressed his delight at welcoming what he described as “a group of young Sierra Leoneans who are out here in a quest to fly our country’s flag high.”
He told the players that Thursday’s match is important to the country and encouraged them to draw on their professional experience and skills as they seek a positive start to the qualifying campaign.
The Ambassador’s visit also provided an opportunity for the team to underline the importance of support from Sierra Leoneans both in Morocco and at home.
Abdul Karim Bangura, Team Manager of the Sierra Leone Football Association, thanked the Ambassador for visiting the squad and appealed for continued national backing.
“We cannot accomplish this task on our own. We need a lot of support from you here and from the rest of the country supporting us,” Bangura said.
He called on the Ambassador to help mobilize Sierra Leoneans living in Morocco to attend the match on Thursday, September 24, and create a strong atmosphere of support for the national team.
“We are going to make a request that you help rally all the Sierra Leoneans we have in Morocco so that they will come to the stadium on Thursday to support these gentlemen,” he said.
Bangura said the technical team had already begun preparations and was working to build a side capable of delivering the results Sierra Leone wants.
“We have built a formidable force because we want to qualify for the 2027 AFCON, by the grace of God, and make Sierra Leone proud,” he said.
Coach Confident Ahead of Zimbabwe Test
Head Coach Didier Gomez Da Rosa said the Ambassador’s visit had provided encouragement to the players as they continued preparations for the match.
He thanked the Ambassador and said the visit was very beneficial for the squad and players.
The coach said the team began preparations on Monday, September 21, and would continue working on its tactical approach ahead of the Zimbabwe encounter on Thursday.
“All the players are here, so now we have to work on some processes that we will use against Zimbabwe,” he said.
Gomez Da Rosa expressed confidence in the squad and expressed his desire for the players to produce a performance that would make Sierra Leoneans proud, adding that they want to make the nation proud of the Leone Stars.
The coach also called for support from fans across Sierra Leone, saying the backing of the public would be important as the team begins its qualification journey.
“We are expecting a lot of support from Sierra Leone. I know very well that a lot of citizens will be behind the team and many will be in front of their television sets to watch the match,” he said.
Coach Gomez Da Rosa said it is very important to start this qualification campaign well, and hoped that they would get those three points.
Players Ready for the Challenge
Leone Stars team captain, Osman Kakay, said the squad has settled well since arriving in Morocco and is looking forward to the match on Thursday, September 24, 2026.
Osman Kakay said that the team is prepared and determined to win the match against Zimbabwe and that since they landed in Morocco, they have had high energy and team spirit, and are looking forward to a great game.
He added that the players understand the importance of the assignment and are determined to give their best against Zimbabwe.
“We all know what the mission is. The boys are ready to give 100% to bring AFCON back to Sierra Leone,” Kakay said.
The comments from the team management, coaching staff, and players come as the Leone Stars prepare to begin their campaign for a place at the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.
A Home Match Away From Home
Although Sierra Leone is officially the home side for Thursday’s fixture, the match will be played in El Jadida, Morocco.
This arrangement means the Leone Stars will be looking to create a home atmosphere away from Sierra Leone, with officials appealing to Sierra Leoneans living in Morocco to turn out in large numbers.
For the team, the immediate objective is to begin the qualification campaign strongly against Zimbabwe.
With preparations underway and the squad now settled in El Jadida, the technical team is focusing on tactical and physical readiness while the players look to translate their confidence and team spirit into a positive result on Thursday, September 24.
The opening fixture represents the first step in Sierra Leone’s pursuit of qualification for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, with the Leone Stars determined to give their supporters at home and abroad something to celebrate.
