by FSL News | 16 Feb, 2018 | Players Abroad News
The South Carolina-based club Charleston Battery have confirmed the signing of former US U20 striker Victor Mansaray for the 2018 season, pending league and federation approval.
The Sierra Leone native was part of the Leone Stars preparation prior to the 2-1 victory over Kenya in Freetown, in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations first leg qualifying on June 10.
Mansaray, 20, signed with Seattle prior to the 2015 season and played in three MLS matches.
The youngster spent the 2017 season on loan with FC Cincinnati and Seattle Sounders FC 2 before moving to joined Swedish club Umeå FC in August.
The Battery, Holy City is one of the more successful lower division soccer clubs in the United States, having previously won the USISL Pro League in 1996, the USL A-League in 2003.
At the age of 18 years and 34 days, Mansaray became the youngest player in franchise history to appear in a match.
The USL season officially kicks off Saturday, March 17, The Battery will open their campaign at home hosting Mansaray’s former side FC Cincinnati at the MUSC Health Stadium.
Name: Victor Mansaray -Position: MF/F
Height: 5-11 – Date of birth: February 22, 1997
Age: 20 – Hometown: Freetown, Sierra Leone
Country: USA/Sierra Leone
Last club: Umeå Football Club
How acquired: Signed in February 2018
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by FSL News | 16 Feb, 2018 | Players Abroad News
Former FC Kallon and Västerås SK stopper, Christian Caulker, has admitted that he is delighted after making two appearances for Fresno Football Club in the United State.
The former Leone Stars first-choice keeper last played for USA third tier league side IFK Maryland in 2016.
The goalkeeper, who is still negotiating a deal with the professional soccer team based in Fresno, California, has made two pre-season appearances for the United Soccer League side this week.
And the 29-year-old is pleased to have once again played top-level football while in negotiation.”I’m close to a deal with this club and I will be very happy to be able to play football again, Caulker told www.footballsierraleone.net
“All I will say thanks to God for giving me this chance to play professional football again.”
He played in the Fresno side that was defeated by LA Galaxy 3-1 in Thursday’s preseason exhibition at UC Santa Barbara’s Harder Stadium.
His first game for the club was in a 3-2 victory against the Premier Development League’s Ventura County Fusion on Monday night.
Fellow Sierra Leonean, Lamin Suma was also signed by the club in December, having spent the 2017 season at Sacramento Republic FC.
The 6 ft keeper was among 15 players and officials suspended indefinitely by the Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA) over allegations of match-fixing in July 2014.
Caulker has always denied any wrongdoing and FIFA have named a four-man team to investigate the said allegation.
The USL season officially kicks off Saturday, March 17, Fresno will open their campaign at home hosting Las Vegas Lights FC
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by FSL News | 16 Feb, 2018 | International, National Sport News Sierra Leone
Fifa has named a four-man investigation unit that will probe potential match-fixing in Sierra Leonean football, BBC Sport reports.
The match-fixing inquiry includes a World Cup qualifier between Sierra Leone and South Africa in 2008.
Since 2014, eleven officials and four players have been suspended by Sierra Leone’s FA pending investigation, with all having denied wrongdoing.
The four-man Fifa unit will be chaired by Jean-Samuel Leuba, a lawyer.
He will be joined by Michael Emde, Peter Limacher and Paul Scotney, a former detective who has extensive experience of investigating corruption in sport.
“(Fifa) has established an independent investigation committee to conduct an inquiry into allegations of match-fixing within football in Sierra Leone in general and, in particular, match-fixing within the Sierra Leone FA,” said a Fifa statement.
“The duties of the independent committee are to investigate the allegations and provide a comprehensive report to the Fifa Members Associations Committee in order to allow for an informed decision on the matter.”
The letter was signed by Fifa Secretary General Fatma Samoura.
The current Sierra Leone FA executive will welcome the news, with its president Isha Johansen has long pushed for a match-fixing inquiry to go ahead.
Central to the investigation is the 2010 World Cup qualifier that ended goalless between South Africa and Sierra Leone in Atteridgeville, South Africa, in June 2008.
No date has been given for the inquiry to start, but it is unlikely to happen before the country’s presidential elections on 7 March.
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by FSL News | 15 Feb, 2018 | Players Abroad News
Sierra Leone striker Sheka Fofanah scored a debut brace for the Sudanese top-tier side Al-Merrikh in a 6-1 win over Wad Hashim Sennars on Thursday evening at the Al-Merreikh Stadium, Omdurman.
The 20-year-old bagged his side third and sixth goals to announce his arrival in front of the home fans in the Sudanese top-flight.
Fofanah, who was an unused substitute in last Saturday’s 3-0 defeat in Botswana to Township Rollers in the first leg of this year’s CAF Champions League preliminary round, said he was happy with his start in Khartoum.
“Amazing start with one of the biggest clubs in Sudan,” said the Sierra Leone international.
“I was very happy after the game, but I have to keep working.
“As a team, we worked hard and the coach gave us a lot of advice.”
The former Frýdek-Místek striker joined Al-Merrikh Sporting Club on a two-year deal in December.
He will be expecting to make his CAF Champions League Debut in Khartoum when Botswana top-tier side came to town in the second leg outing next week.
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by FSL News | 14 Feb, 2018 | Players Abroad News
Viborg FF new striker Christian Moses says that the Greens squad are all looking forward to their week-long training camp in Turkey.
The Viborg-based club will be swapping their regular artificial turf and Danish winter cold to warmer temperature when Viborg FF travels to Turkey on Friday for a week training camp.
The training will include two friendly tests against FC Kaysar from Kazakhstan and Balkany Zorya from Ukraine between 16th and 23 of this month.
“We are all looking forward to the training camp in Turkey, Moses told footballsierraleone.net
“Everything is in place right now, we’re all are just waiting, these test matches will be a way of getting fitter ahead of the second phase of the league.”
Moses, who signed from Vendsyssel FF to Viborg FF as a free agent until the end of 2018 also lauds his teammates.
“I’m happy with my teammates, they all very friendly and any-time we’re together there is a sense of good team spirit, so the training camp will be worthwhile for the next half of the season.
The second half of the Danish NordicBet Liga will kick off on the 4th of March with Moses expected to make his Viborg league debut against Nykøbing FC at home.
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