Sierra Leone Players Train on Grassless Pitch Ahead of Friendly Against AFCON Host Ivory Coast

• Sierra Leone will face Ivory Coast in a friendly on Saturday
• The AFCON host will test their strength ahead of the tourney
• Sierra Leone failed to qualify for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations

The Sierra Leonean national team have been preparing ahead of their international friendly against Ivory Coast.

The Lone Stars did not qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations but will use the friendly against the AFCON hosts as a preparatory match for the return of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers in March.

The last time the two sides met was at the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon, with Sierra Leone holding the two-time champions to a 2-2 draw.

Ahead of Saturday's friendly, the players of Sierra Leone were spotted training on a grassless pitch.

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Photos of the team's training has gone viral on social media, with many wondering if Sierra Leone has no national stadium.

Ivory Coast will use the game as their final game before the start of the tournament next week.

The two-time champions are chasing a third triumph on home soil, having won the competition in 1992 and 2015, beating the Black Stars of Ghana in both matches.

The Elephants have been drawn in Group A alongside three-time champions Nigeria, Guinea Bissau and Equatorial Guinea.

How social media users reacted to Sierra Leones training

@SunkyBlues wrote:

What is this?

Are there no sports complex or university football centers where they can have their training?

@TONNZ99 added:

Wait dey don't have training pitches

@bulalathegreat posted:

I don't believe this

@PreachOSL wrote:

And what did Chris say again "Our players are not happy with the unavailability of a good training ground in Kumasi " make he come see.

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@OmarGucciNana12 tweeted:

I can play well than some of them I want to play for the Sierra Leone national team

@Nhanayaw_ASK posted:

They are only utilising what is available to them. I won't be surprise seeing dem perform and causing upset

Zaha reacts after AFCON omission

Earlier, Sports Brief reported that Galatasaray forward Wilfried Zaha has reacted to his omission from the Ivory Coast squad for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations on home soil.

The former Manchester United and Crystal Palace winger was surprisingly not included in the 27-man squad released by coach Jean-Louis Gasset.

Zaha, who switched nationalities to represent Ivory Coast, was part of the team at the tournament in Cameroon last year.