After his hattrick to help his local club lift the Sierra Leone title on Sunday, Musa Noah Kamara – has turned his attention to the Leone Stars African Cup of Nations’ 2023 first qualifying trip in Abuja against Nigeria next month.

The Sierra Leone best player of the 2021 campaign has set a new record as Bo Rangers thrashed Central Parade 4-0 to wrap up their title for the first time in their history on Sunday.

Kamara, 21, a back-to-back golden boot winner with 19 goals this season, was summoned in coach John Keister’s sqaud for afcon 2023 qualifiers.

The Rangers striker is the first local star to achieve this milestone. Kamara first won the 2019 Sierra Leone National Premier League with 15 goals for champions East End Lions.

Sierra Leone will kick off Afcon 2023 qualifying campaign against Nigeria on June 9 in Abuja. The informed striker Kamara’s recent goals will serve as a stern warning to the three-time African Champions.

Kamara is a pivotal figure in the coach Keister’s sqaud – as the Leone Stars start with a tricky tie at the Moshood Abiola Stadium in Abuja behind closed doors before hosting Guinea-Bissau at the General Lansana Conté stadium on June 13th.

Nicknamed country striker, Kamara’s magnificent left-footed strike, his first international goal in his first continental gathering (2021 Africa Cup of Nations tournament) in the 2–2 draw against the Ivory Coast on 16 January 2022, was rated as one of the best in the tournament by soccer pundits in the country.

He appeared in their third group match as the Leone Stars were eliminated from the competition in Cameroon after a 1–0 defeat to Equatorial Guinea.

“Musa Kamara only needs to focus and get his act right and can deliver anytime for the Leone Stars. His goal against the Ivory Coast was a classic example of what he is capable off,” a family friend told FSL News.

Meanwhile, Nigeria suffered a 2-1 defeat to CONCACAF champions Mexico at the AT&T Stadium in Texas on Sunday.

Next up for the Super Eagles is Ecuador in another friendly game on Friday, June 3, before their AFCON 2023 qualifiers against Sierra Leone and Mauritius.

@SLPLBoard21 award list for the just concluded Sierra Leone season. #SaloneTwitter #Salonestories #FSLMedia #FSLNews pic.twitter.com/7D2xbGQoo7

— Alie Bittar (@bittar32) May 29, 2022

#SierraLeone Super goal #TotalAfcon2021 https://t.co/DRpj9SAwZm

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Sierra Leone home-based national side will be seeking their first TotalEnergies African Nations Championship set to be held in Algeria 2022 when they face Cape Verde in July this year.

The qualifiers, as usual, will be played in a home and away contest and the winner of the two-legged matches will face Mali in the next stage. 

The draw was conducted at CAF headquarters in Cairo, Egypt, on Thursday, 26 May 2022. Only three teams will qualify from West Zone A. 

Sierra Leone was eliminated by Senegal 4-2 on aggregate during the 2018 African Nations Championship qualifiers. 

The country was ineligible for the 2020 tournament due to a FIFA sanction.

Morocco won the last competition for the second time after overcoming Mali 2-0 in a thrilling final at Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium in Yaounde on February 7 2020, in Cameroon.

The final tournament is scheduled to be played in Algeria from 8–31 January 2023.

West Zone B

All seven teams from the region entered, and three teams will qualify.

Round one:

• Ghana v Benin

Round two:

• Ivory Coast v Burkina Faso
• Togo v Niger
• Ghana/Benin v Nigeria

Central Zone

A total of six teams entered, and three will qualify.

Sao Tome e Principe were suspended from the CHAN after withdrawing from the 2020 qualifiers, while Gabon opted not to enter.

• Central African Republic v Congo
• Equatorial Guinea v Cameroon
• Chad v DR Congo

Central East Zone

A total of nine teams entered, and three teams will qualify. Eritrea and Kenya opted not to enter.

Round one:

• Ethiopia v South Sudan
• Somalia v Tanzania
• Burundi v Djibouti

Round two:

• Ethiopia/South Sudan v Rwanda
• Somalia/Tanzania v Uganda
• Burundi/Djibouti v Sudan

Southern Zone

A total of 12 teams entered, and three will qualify. 

Round one:

• Mauritius v Angola
• Comoros v South Africa
• Botswana v Eswatini
• Seychelles v Madagascar
• Malawi v Zimbabwe
• Mozambique v Zambia

Round two:

• Mauritius/Angola v Comoros/South Africa
• Botswana/Eswatini v Seychelles/Madagascar
• Malawi/Zimbabwe v Mozambique/Zambia

Race to Algeria 2023 🇩🇿 – Sierra Leone 🇸🇱 to face Cape Verde in Chan qualifiers & the winner will face Mali

First/Second leg matches are to be played in July 2022.#CHAN2022 #SierraLeoneStoriss #Salonetwitter #CHAN2022 @football_sierra @SLFA_sl pic.twitter.com/fP4hEEnDdn

— Alie Bittar (@bittar32) May 26, 2022

Follow Us on Twitter @football_sierra, on Facebook/Instagram Football Sierra Leone – The writer Alie Bittar, On Twitter @bittar32 – Contact bi****@*********************ne.net.