Chad and Sierra Leone fought to a 1-1 draw in their AFCON 2025 qualifier on Wednesday night at the Stade Olympique Alassane Ouattara in Abidjan, putting a dent in Sierra Leone’s hopes for qualification.
The draw ensures Côte d’Ivoire’s place in next year’s tournament in Morocco, as the defending champions sit comfortably atop Group G with nine points and cannot be overtaken by third-placed Sierra Leone.
Sierra Leone opened the scoring in the 29th minute when Abu Dumbuya’s powerful strike from outside the box found the top corner, putting the Leone Stars ahead and boosting their push to keep qualification hopes alive. However, Chad responded swiftly. Marius Mouandilmadji earned a penalty just five minutes later, and Mahamat Thiam converted with precision, leveling the game at 1-1.
In the second half, Sierra Leone pressed for a winner, with notable attempts from Kei Kamara, whose header was denied, and later efforts from substitutes Issa Kallon and Sullay Kaikai, all thwarted by Chad’s resilient defense.
With this draw, Sierra Leone holds five points from five games, staying in third place in Group G, while Chad remains at the bottom with three points. Sierra Leone’s path to qualification now depends on results from other matches in the group, as their fate hangs in the balance.
