Belgium-based Royal Antwerp midfielder Johanna Omollo and Bulgaria based defender Abud Omar will not be part of the Kenya squad heading to Freetown on Thursday for the 2019 Africa Nations Cup first-leg qualifier in Freetown on June 10.
Football Sierra Leone understands that both players sustained injuries while playing for their respective clubs.
Omollo, who is a box-to-box midfielder has been very instrumental for Kenya in recent months and the same for Omar, a roving left-back with attacking flair.
Harambee Stars head coach Stanley Okumbi will be disappointed but must have to do without both internationals.
The game that will be of interest to the four teams in the group, which also includes Ethiopia and Ghana, will be broadcast live on South African satellite network SuperSport.
This is the first ever meeting between Sierra Leone and Kenya at national team level.
Tottenham Hotspur anchorman Victor Wanyama (Pictured), Erick Ouma Joseph Okumu, Brian Mandela, and Eric Johanna and others have already joined the training camp in Machakos.
Others including Michael Olunga, David Ochieng are expected by Wednesday ahead of departure, according to the Kenya Federation.
Meanwhile, the Leone Stars of Sierra Leone were defeated 1 nil by host Liberia in Monrovia in a friendly international on Monday at the Antoinette Tubman Stadium.
The only goal of the game was scored in the 78th minutes by LISCR football club striker Christopher Bigman Jackson.
Both Sierra Leone and Liberia were preparing for their respective Afcon 2019 openers.
The Leone Stars of Sierra Leone were edged 1 nil by host Liberia in Monrovia in a friendly international on Monday at the Antoinette Tubman Stadium.
Lone Star goal scorer Christopher Jackson celebrated his goal
The defeat was John Keister’s first in charge of the Sierra Leone side that are preparing to face Kenya in the 2019 Africa Nations Cup first-leg qualifier in Freetown on June 10.
The only goal of the game was scored in the 78th minutes by Christopher Bigman Jackson of LISCR football club assisted by Terrence Tisdell of Fassell FC.
LISCR’s striker was introduced in the second 45, replacing striker Mark Paye after a goalless first half, and managed to use his height to send FC Fassel forward Terrance Tisdell’s left foot cross from about 10 yards.
Not much separated the two teams in the first half with only a few attempts, striker Paye getting the Lone Star’s only shot on target from a header and the visitor’s with one attempt.
John Keister selected a squad of 20 players including three foreign-based for the testing encounter.
Khalifa Jabbie as one of the foreign-based just from winning the treble with FC Sheriff Tiraspol in Moldova was the captain of Leone Stars.
The team will return home on Tuesday to continue with their preparation for the Kenyans.
South African satellite network SuperSport has included in its schedule to broadcast live the Sierra Leone and Kenya 2019 Africa Nations Cup first-leg qualifier in Freetown on June 10.
The game will be of interest to the four teams in the group, which also includes Ethiopia and Ghana, where the broadcaster is also available.
This is the first ever meeting between Sierra Leone and Kenya at national team level.
Skipper and Tottenham Hotspur anchorman Victor Wanyama, who has joined the national team camp in Machakos top the list of 13 foreign players expected to tackle the Leone Stars side full of foreign-based internationals.
It is yet unclear whether Sierra Leone will benefit from the broadcasting rights of the game.
Meanwhile, John Keister’s men are 39 places behind their 2019 Africa Cup of Nations Group F opponent the Harambee Stars of Kenya in the June Fifa rankings.
The Kenyans under the supervision of local coach Stanley Okumbi moved four places up to 74th from 78th they occupied last month.
Okumbi has lined out the race to Cameroon as one of his biggest objectives.
Newly appointed Sierra Leone head coach, John Keister, has selected a squad of 20 players including three foreign-based for the testing encounter against Lone Stars of Liberia on June 5 in Monrovia that is expected to be played at the Antoinette Tubman Stadium.
Khalifa Jabbie (Pictured) just from winning the treble with FC Sheriff Tiraspol in Moldova, Finland-based Tornion Pallo -47 striker Thomas Koroma, who is expected to make his Sierra Leone debut in Liberia and Austria-based midfielder George Davies on loan to Floridsdorfer AC from German second-tier side Greuther Fürth 1903 are all named in the squad to face Liberia.
However, the team is dominated mainly by home-based players.
The test will be Keister’s first encounter since replacing Sellas Tetteh in May.
The match is a warm-up encounter ahead of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers opener against the Harambee Stars of Kenya on June 10 in Freetown.
Liberia, on the other hand, will use the encounter as preparation ahead of their Group G AFCON opener away to the Warriors of Zimbabwe on June 11.
Sierra Leone squad to Liberia:
1. Ibrahim Bangura aka Stop pain- SL Police, 2. Issac Caulker- FC Kallon, 3. Yeamie Dunia- FC Johansen, 4. Mohamed L. Bangura-Ports Authority, 5. Abu Bakarr Suma- FC Johansen, 6. Kemson Fofanah- EE Lions, 7. Mohamed Kamanor- FC Kallon, 8. Julius Gobah- Ports Authority, 9. Abu Bakarr Samura aka Lucio- FC Kallon, 10. Abu Kanu- Mighty Blackpool, 11. Ibrahim S. Barrie- FC Johansen, 12. Khalifa Jabbie- FC Sheriff Tiraspol, 13. Nathaniel T. Fullah- Ports Authority, 14. John Caulker- Mighty Blackpool on loan to FC Johansen, 15. Alfred Nyuma- Central Parade, 16. Donald Wellington- EE Lions on loan to Ports Authority, 17. Abdul Bangura aka Babu- FC Johansen, 18. Mamoud Fofanah aka Lampard- FC Kallon, 19. Thomas Koroma- TP-47, Finland, 20. George Davies-Gruther Furth, Germany
Technical team: John Keister- Head Coach – Amidu Karim- Asst. Coach 1- John Sama Asst Coach 2 – Prince Tamba Moses- Goalkeeper Coach.
Zambia coach Beston Chambeshi looks ahead to U-20 World Cup quarter-final
Reflects on his own last-eight game from 1988 Olympics in Korea Republic
African champions to face Italy in Suwon
While Zambia currently navigates parts unknown through the waters of the FIFA U-20 World Cup, preparing for their first ever quarter-final at this level, there is at least one among their ranks who finds the environment more than a little familiar. Fortunately for the Young Chipolopolo, it is the man steering the ship.
Almost 30 years ago, coach Beston Chambeshi was gearing up for a last-eight clash of his own as Zambia fought at the 1988 Seoul Olympic Football Tournament. Now back again in the Korea Republic he admits has “changed a lot”, he still has fond memories of his first trip east.
“It was marvellous. Playing teams like Germany, who had great players like [Jurgen] Klinsmann, as well as facing the likes of Iraq and Italy,” he recalled in conversation with FIFA.com. “It wasn’t easy but, at that time, we had a strong team. We played as a united group, just as the boys are doing now.”
With the likes of national icons Kalusha Bwalya and Charles Musonda joining him – as well as six players who tragically lost their lives in the 1993 air crash in Gabon – the Copper Bullets blitzed through their group before being sent home by a Klinsmann-inspired Germany.
Attacking spirit
Top scorer in Zambia that year and national champions with Nkana FC, Chambeshi was given the nickname ‘Quicksilver’ by legendary Zambian commentator Dennis Liwewe. “I wasn’t all that fast, but I was a talented player,” the smiling Chambeshi said. “That name always pushed me to play good soccer.”
And another famous quote from Liwewe, who was the voice of Zambian football for more than 40 years, describing their triumphant CAF Africa Cup of Nations side of 2012 fits neatly with this latest incarnation. “We showed the spirit of attack, attack, attack,” he told the BBC following that victory. “We shall never surrender.”
Epic fightbacks against Iran and Germany, both rollercoaster games, reflected just that as they booked their quarter-final with Italy in Suwon. “It’s a Zambian news story to see a team get this far,” Chambeshi said. “Football is about making history, it is about leaving your name. [But] there is no pressure now, they’re just enjoying their game.
“In football, it’s only once in a while when you find yourself at this stage. They’re young boys, so to have a ‘father’ like me telling them the truth about soccer, how to enjoy soccer and that things are in their own hands [helps].”
Italy and beyond
Faced with an organised Azzurrini, fresh from eliminating France, Chambeshi knows goals cannot be conceded cheaply, but early resilience against Germany – albeit not lasting the full 90 minutes – has buoyed him.
And, ultimately, he feels this record-breaking run is nothing compared to what the future can bring should they present a pathway for this side to step into the shoes of the senior Chipolopolo. “This is football. Records are made and records are broken. This is just a stepping stone and in a few years we can do even better for Zambia and Africa – [the players] have that zeal.”
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Sierra Leone | Highlights -