July 15, 2016 By Sahr Morris Jr.
Sierra Leone’s Ghanaian coach, Sellas Tetteh, says he is hoping to break the country’s national team, Leone Stars, 20 years African Cup of Nations jinx by qualifying to the 2017 tournament in Gabon.
Tetteh, who supervised the Ghanaian U-20 national team, the Black Satellites, to an historic feat in the 2009 World Cup, is focused on qualifying Sierra Leone to next year’s AFCON, 20 years after the country last participated in the tournament in South Africa, in 1996.
Leone Stars currently sit in second place in Group I behind the African champions, Cote D’Ivoire, and will come up against Les Elephants in the final group match in Bouake, but the Ghanaian tactician believes his side can upset the African giant and book qualification to Gabon.
“For more than 20 years Sierra Leone has never come so close of qualifying for the tournament, we started this campaign game by game and we’re almost there, though it is going to be difficult out there,” he said.
“If by the grace of God we did qualify, then we can break the 20 years waiting and definitely, we are on course. We shall see how it goes,” the Ghanaian coach, who is yet to secure a permanent job with the Sierra Leone national team, said.
In August 2015, coach Tetteh was named as caretaker boss of Sierra Leone after a loan agreement between the Sierra Leone and Ghana Football Associations. The gaffer was contracted for three months and in March this year, his loan agreement was extended.