Sierra Leone's Kamara leads U20 AFCON top scorers after group stage

Sierra Leone’s rising star Momoh Kamara sits atop the scoring charts after the conclusion of the group stage at the TotalEnergies CAF U20 Africa Cup of Nations, Egypt 2025.

The 18-year-old forward has scored four goals in as many matches, propelling his nation to the quarter-finals and confirming his growing reputation as one of the brightest prospects on the continent.

Kamara, who has been pivotal in Sierra Leone’s Group A campaign, delivered standout performances in all three group matches and added another goal in the playoff fixture for second-place rankings.

His clinical finishing and creative influence in the final third have helped guide Sierra Leone to an unexpected but well-earned spot in the last eight, where they will now face tournament favourites Morocco.

Having outshone his peers with a tally of four goals, Kamara is now two goals clear at the top of the scorer’s table. However, with the knockout stages set to begin on Monday, several other contenders remain in the hunt for the Golden Boot.

Among them is DR Congo’s Samuel Ntanda, who netted twice in the group phase, helping his side to a strong start in Group C.

Ntanda’s teammate Noah Makanza also features in the chasing pack with two goals of his own, underlining DR Congo’s potent attacking threat heading into the quarter-finals.

Senegal’s Cheikh Tidiane Thiam, who converted from open play and missed a penalty rebound in the final group match against DR Congo, also sits on two goals.

The reigning champions are banking on the powerful forward to continue his scoring form in the knockout rounds.

Kenya’s Lawrence Ouma also scored twice during the group phase but will play no further part in the tournament following his team’s elimination. South Africa’s Thabang Mahlangu and Morocco’s Yassir Zabiri complete the list of two-goal scorers, and both will be hoping to add to their tallies as their respective teams progress.

The quarter-finals are expected to bring high-intensity fixtures, including Morocco vs Sierra Leone, South Africa vs Senegal, DR Congo vs Nigeria, and hosts Egypt facing Ghana. All eyes will be on Kamara to see if he can maintain his lead in the scoring race, particularly with several challengers lurking close behind.

With his sharp instincts and composure in front of goal, Kamara has already drawn attention from scouts across Africa and Europe.

A strong showing in the knockout rounds could accelerate his rise to prominence and cement his place among the continent’s next generation of stars.

The Golden Boot race is far from over — and with knockout football on the horizon, a single standout performance could shake up the leaderboard.

Top scorers after the group stage:

• Momoh Kamara (Sierra Leone) – 4 goals

• Samuel Ntanda (DR Congo) – 2 goals

• Noah Makanza (DR Congo) – 2 goals

• Cheikh Tidiane Thiam (Senegal) – 2 goals

• Lawrence Ouma (Kenya) – 2 goals

• Thabang Mahlangu (South Africa) – 2 goals

• Yassir Zabiri (Morocco) – 2 goals