Leone Stars Face AFCON Elimination Threat After Third Straight Defeat

Sierra Leone’s hopes of qualifying for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations are hanging by a thread after Leone Stars suffered a 3-1 defeat to DR Congo in Kinshasa on Thursday, November 12, 2026.

The result leaves Sierra Leone bottom of Group E without a point from three matches, increasing pressure on newly appointed head coach Didier Gomes Da Rosa, whose side has now lost all three qualifying encounters.

DR Congo Dominate Leone Stars

Congo players celebrating after their first goal against Leone Stars

DR Congo took control early at the Stade des Martyrs, with Yoane Wissa opening the scoring in the fourth minute.

Samuel Moutoussamy doubled the advantage in the 35th minute before Edo Kayembe made it 3-0 after 58 minutes.

Sierra Leone’s Samuel Bekoe scored in the 83rd minute, but his late effort could not prevent another disappointing result.

The defeat followed a 3-2 loss to Zimbabwe, in which Sierra Leone surrendered a two-goal lead, and a 1-0 defeat against Equatorial Guinea.

Across three qualifiers, Leone Stars have scored three goals, conceded seven and collected no points.

Pressure Mounts on New Coach

Coach Da Rosa (right) at a press conference

Da Rosa, appointed in June 2026, has endured a difficult start to his competitive tenure.

His three consecutive qualifying defeats have intensified scrutiny of his tactical decisions, team selection and ability to restore Sierra Leone’s competitiveness.

The results have also renewed comparisons with former coach Mohamed Kallon, whose departure earlier this year attracted considerable attention.

Kallon’s tenure included victories over Guinea-Bissau, Ethiopia and Djibouti during the 2025 World Cup qualifying campaign, giving supporters grounds to question whether the coaching change has improved the national team’s fortunes.

However, comparing the two coaches requires consideration of their opponents, the competitions involved and the number of matches each managed.

Mixed Reactions Over Da Rosa’s Future

Leone Stars players  MJ Kamson-Kamara (left) and Abdulai Juma Bah (right)

The team’s poor results have created competing arguments about the direction of Leone Stars.

Critics of the current technical leadership can point to three defeats, defensive weaknesses and Sierra Leone’s failure to collect a single qualifying point.

Others argue that changing coaches repeatedly could worsen the team’s problems.

Football administrators Rodney Michael and Sirajin Munirr Rollings Kamara publicly urged patience with Da Rosa in October, warning that frequent managerial changes could undermine continuity and player development.

Their position reflects a wider question facing Sierra Leonean football: whether the national team needs another managerial change or a more consistent long-term development programme.

Can Sierra Leone Still Qualify?

AFCON 2027 Qualifiers Group E standings

Mathematically, Sierra Leone remains in contention, but their position is increasingly difficult.

DR Congo lead Group E with nine points, while Zimbabwe and Equatorial Guinea have four points each. Sierra Leone sit fourth with zero points.

With three matches remaining, Leone Stars can collect a maximum of nine points. They must therefore begin winning while hoping results elsewhere work in their favour.

Another defeat would make qualification even more difficult, particularly if Zimbabwe or Equatorial Guinea continue collecting points.

Upcoming Fixtures

Sierra Leone will face DR Congo again on Tuesday, November 17, in Morocco, where Leone Stars will stage their home fixture because the national stadium remains unavailable for approved international matches.

Their final two qualifiers are scheduled against Zimbabwe on March 25, 2027, and Equatorial Guinea on March 30, 2027.

For Leone Stars, the immediate priority is ending the losing streak.

Failure to secure a positive result against DR Congo would leave Sierra Leone facing an increasingly uncertain path to the continental tournament.

With supporters demanding improvement and qualification hopes fading, Da Rosa faces his most important test yet.