The CAF U-20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) delivered a jaw-dropping result on Wednesday night, as tournament hosts Egypt were dismantled 4-1 by a fearless Sierra Leone side in Group A action.
The Shooting Stars came from behind in emphatic fashion at the Suez Canal Stadium, with Kamara netting all three of his goals from outside the box in a Man of the Match performance. Sallieu Bah added a penalty to seal a memorable night for the West Africans, who now top Group A.
Egypt had taken the lead late in the first half through Khaled Soliman, and looked in control for large periods of the opening 45 minutes. But Sierra Leone emerged a transformed side after the break, quickly equalizing through Kamara before adding three more unanswered goals to complete the rout.
Ossama Nabih the Egyptian national team head coach during the Egyptian national anthem in 2025 U-20 AFCON. (Photo Credit: Getty Images)
The result leaves Sierra Leone with four points from two matches, while Egypt and South Africa sit just behind with three points each. Tanzania, who are yet to register a point, face a must-win situation in their final two group matches.
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Earlier in the day, South Africa claimed a narrow 1-0 win over tournament debutants Tanzania. Shakeel April scored the decisive goal in the 27th minute after a well-worked move, helping the Amajita bounce back from an opening loss to Egypt.
Tanzania showed fight in the second half, but couldn’t find an equalizer despite creating several chances.
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Group A continues on Saturday, with Sierra Leone facing Tanzania and Egypt taking on Zambia in a crucial tie. Meanwhile, attention shifts to Group B on Thursday, as Nigeria and Tunisia kick off their campaigns in a heavyweight clash at the 30 June Stadium in Cairo (kick-off 18:00 local time / 15:00 GMT).
