Sierra Leone head coach John Keister is optimistic of a positive result against the Super Eagles of Nigeria.

The Leone Stars will hosts the Super Eagles in the second leg of their 2023 AFCON qualifiers at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Stadium in Liberia on Sunday, June 18.

Sierra Leone are facing difficult task qualifying for the tournament, but a win over Nigeria, Group leaders would reignite their chances.

Keister, a member of the Leone Stars squad that shocked the world by beating star sturded Super Eagles 1-0 during 2002 World Cup qualifiers in Free Town believes history can repeat itself once again.

“We know how difficult it can be in football, but then again I am not the one for excuses, I just believe in doing the work and concentrating on what we have to do and doing it to the best of our ability because that is all that matters,” Keister said in a video posted on the Sierra Leone football’s federation Facebook page.

“We are going there (Monrovia) to compete and that is a fact. We are not going there to lie down, this is a time when I don’t really need to tell the players the significance of the game because they should understand that and should relish the challenge of coming up against Nigerian players that are doing very well abroad.”

“I remember in 2001, I was part of the Sierra Leone team that beat Nigeria 1-0 and this was when no one expected anything from us. I have that feeling again with this team going to Liberia to face Nigeria, ​despite the challenges we have with players suspended, several personal issues and injuries, that we can do it again,” He concluded.