Goalless start for Guinea as Liberia triumph in WAFU A U20 opener

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Guinea’s U20 side, the Syli Juniors, were held to a goalless draw by Sierra Leone in their opening match of the WAFU A U20 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying tournament on Sunday. 

The match, which took place at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex in Monrovia, saw both teams share the points in a 0-0 stalemate.

The Syli Juniors struggled to break down a resolute Sierra Leonean defense throughout the encounter, with both sides failing to create clear-cut chances.

Despite moments of pressure from Guinea, the breakthrough never came, leaving them to settle for a point in their first game of the tournament.

Earlier in the day, host nation Liberia claimed a narrow 1-0 victory over Guinea-Bissau in the other Group A match. The win gives Liberia an early advantage in the group standings.

Looking ahead, Guinea will face Guinea-Bissau on Wednesday at 1 p.m. GMT, while Liberia will take on Sierra Leone later that day at 4 p.m. GMT.

In Group B, defending champions Senegal will begin their campaign on Monday against Mali.

The Senegalese squad, featuring U17 African champions Yaya Diémé and Serigne Fallou Diouf, are looking to defend their title in a tough group that also includes Mauritania and Gambia.

The WAFU B U20 tournament runs from September 15 to 30, 2024, with the two finalists earning a place in the 2025 TotalEnergies U20 Africa Cup of Nations.