Sierra Leone skipper threatens to quit international football

by Staff Reporter

Wednesday Oct 02, 2019. 15:00

Sierra Leone captain Umaru Bangura says he is considering his international future after a missed penalty in a World Cup qualifier led to angry fans to vandalise his house.

Bangura missed the spot-kick in the World Cup preliminaries against Liberia. His penalty would have sent the Leone Stars through to the group phase of qualifying, but instead they crashed out.

“I’m surprised and shocked at the fans’ behaviour to go to my house and vandalise it, and because of this I’m considering my international future,” Bangura told the BBC.

“To miss a penalty kick is normal in football, past and current best players in the world have failed to convert penalty kicks. I never intended to miss, I was just unlucky.

“I will decide whether or not to retire from international football before our 2021 Africa Cup of Nations opening game against Lesotho in November.”

Bangura plays for Swiss side FC Zurich, and will be assisted in repairing the damage to his house by the Sierra Leone Football Association.