Freetown — The national Under-17 team, Sierra Stars has progressed to the next stage of the Orange Championship without kicking a ball after their Togolese opponents announced their withdrawal from the tournament.

Sierra Stars were expected to depart Freetown today (Thursday) for Lome, Togo to honour the first leg encounter which was scheduled for this weekend.

The withdrawal of the Togolese from the tournament was confirmed to Concord Sports by the Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA) senior clerk and head of protocol, Sorie Ibrahim Sesay.

According to Sesay, the general secretary of the Togolese Football Association, Assogbavi Komlan yesterday called to inform them of their withdrawal from the tournament, adding that they had earlier filed in a correspondence to the African football governing body, CAF about their decision.

"I receive the call from the Togolese scribe informing me about their withdrawal and immediately we told them to forward to us the same correspondence they sent to CAF," Sesay said.

Togo's withdrawal was welcome news for Sierra Stars who will now advance to the next stage of the competition and are now waiting to know who their next opponents would be.