No fewer than three members of the Sierra Leone national football team have tested positive for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).
The infected include Sierra Leone captain Umaru Bangura and two other members of Leone Stars Phillip Kor, a fitness coach, and Eric Fomba, an official.
Nigeria play a doubleheader with Sierra Leone in November. The Super Eagles host the Leone Stars on November 9 in a 2022 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier, before travelling for the reverse fixture billed for the Siaka Stevens Stadium in Freetown the following week.
The trio contracted COVID-19 while on international duty with the Leone Stars in Niger and they are self-isolating, a statement from the Sierra Leone Football Association confirmed.
Bangura featured in the Leone Stars’ recent 2-1 loss to Mauritania in a friendly, but missed their 1-0 defeat to Niger at the General Seyni Kountche stadium in Niamey due to injury.
Sierra Leone have recorded only one win in their last six games ahead of their clash with the Super Eagles.
The Eagles lead Group L of the qualifiers with the maximum six points, after their opening double victories against Benin and Lesotho.
The Squirrels of Benin Republic are second on the log, followed by Lesotho and Sierra Leone.