By Ibrahim Karim Bangura (Tanko)

The race for a spot in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) is to be  intensified as Leone Stars have brought in professional players to juice them up and the Chadians can’t take that easy with Lion Stars.

It’s Chad vs Sierra Leone in a crucial Group G qualifier on Wednesday November 13, 2024.

With both teams needing a victory to stay in the hunt for qualification, this match promises to be a tense and competitive affair.

The stakes are high as both nations cannot afford to slip up at this critical stage of the campaign.

Chad sits on a (4th place, 2 points).

Chad has endured a challenging start to their AFCON qualification journey, accruing just two points from their first four matches.

With two draws and two losses, they find themselves in a precarious position and would need to turn things around quickly. Their most recent result was a 1-0 loss to Zambia, which has further complicated their qualification hopes.

They will be relying heavily on their home advantage and key players to secure a vital win.

Sierra Leone is on a (3rd place, 4 points).

Sierra Leone with presently third in the group, means to many, that it is in a slightly better position than Chad.

The Leone Stars have one win, one draw, with two losses.

Their most recent match was a 1-1 draw against Liberia, but they will be hoping to build on that result. A win against Chad would see them leapfrogging Zambia and leveling up on points with them, bringing them closer to securing a top-two finished in the group.

But many are still doubtful of the possibility for Leone Stars swimming in a pool of success.