by FSL News | 7 Dec, 2016 | Players Abroad News
Umaru Bangura’s Swiss Challenge League leaders on Thursday will be away in Turkey taking on Osmanlispor in their final Europa League group stage contest with a chance to reach the competition round of 32.
Precisely, Bangura’s Zürich-based club can qualify from Group L with a win in Turkey, but this tie is deeming to be his side’s toughest tests yet.
After reclaiming his spot in the FC Zürich first team four weeks ago, when they thrashed Servette 4-0 away from home at the Stadium de Genève, the Sierra Leone skipper has played in every game since returning from injury.
Mathematically, any of the four teams are still within sight of making the UEFA Europa League last 32 as only a single point separated them.
However, FC Zürich has an unpredictable record against Turkish oppositions, in their previous games; they won twice, two draws and two defeats.
FC Zürich won 2-1 when they host the Turkish side Osmanlıspor for the first time, on 29 September at their Letzigrund, Zurich Stadium in match-day two.
But Bangura’s side will have to be at their best this time if they are to progress, as Osmanlıspor remain unbeaten at home in Europe this season with four wins and a draw registered clean sheets in all of those wins.
The Swiss side have failed to make it through the UEFA Cup/UEFA Europa League group stage in two attempts since making the cut on their first appearance in 2007/08.
Elsewhere, Villarreal who have now won just one of their last five matches will hosts Steaua Bucharest in another tough mouth-watering contest at their Estadio El Madrigal, Stadium Villarreal.
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by FSL News | 5 Dec, 2016 | Players Abroad News
Sierra Leone youngster Mustapha Bundu has signed a new four-year deal with Danish top flight side AGF that will keep him at the club until the summer 2021, the Danish Superliga team said on their website on Monday.
The club said, the 19-year-old, who initially joined AGF from Hereford FC in September on a one-year deal has an indisputable potential.
The Danish Superliga club said: “Mustapha Bundu in the last few months has been very impression. Of course, he has had to get used to a new football culture, but his potential is indisputable, and therefore we also welcome the fact that it has been possible to conclude a relatively long contract with him.”
In May, he joined a list of players with Sierra Leonean origin to play in a Cup final at England’s iconic Wembley Stadium.
Glen Riddersholm’s men are presently 10th position in the Danish Superliga standings and they will host league leaders FC Copenhagen on Sunday.
Bundu was an unused substitute when AGF defeated FC Midtjylland 1-0 on Sunday.
Meanwhile, three others extended their contract; they are Swedish centre-back Niklas Backman, 28, 20-year-old Jens Stage and 19-year-old Nimo Gribenco, who signed his first professional contract until the end of 2018.
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by FSL News | 5 Dec, 2016 | Players Abroad News
Poole Town and Ex-Tranmere winger, Abdulai Baggie says he is disappointed with his team’s away result on Saturday in his post-match interview.
Dartford edged Baggie’s Town to win 2 -1 – with two goals in two minutes for the home team as they secured a hard-fourth victory against Vanarama National South play-off rivals Poole Town at chilly Princes Park.
Duane Ofori-Acheampong and Luke Wanadio scored a goal each in the first half before Luke Parker pulled one back for the Dorset visitors four minutes before the interval.
A disappointed Baggie, who joined the Dolphins in March, told footballsierraleone.net, “It’s was a difficult result and everyone at the club disappointed with the result.”
“But we got to take the positives from the game and maybe we should have got something out of the game, we passed the ball well, we were patient but we couldn’t get the equaliser.
“We must keep fighting and taking it game by game, but the club is in a very good position and we will see where we are at around Christmas time and after the New Year.
“It is too early to start calling for promotion but I don’t see why we can’t be around there come to the end of the season.”
Dartford scored twice in two minutes after Poole had made a bright start.
Dartford: Ibrahim, Gardiner, Wynter, Vint, Wood, A Brown (Harris 77 mins), Noble, Bradbrook, Ofori-Acheampong, Pugh, Wanadio (E Brown 90 mins) Dartford subs: Hayes, Dembele, Coxhall
Dartford subs not used; Hayes, Dembele, Coxhall
Poole Town: Hutchings, Cooper (Gillespie 70m mins), Case, Spetch, Whisken, Pettefer (Moore 86 mins), Burbidge, Devlin, Roberts, Brooks, Baggie
Poole subs not used: Rees, Gale
Attendance: 886
by FSL News | 4 Dec, 2016 | Players Abroad News
Alfred Sankoh, who has been on the sidelined for two months was back on the pitch to support his side on Sunday as Denizlispor, the Turkish League One side thrashed Elazigspor 3-0 away from home.
“I started today, we won three nil and it was all good to be back on the pitch,” he told this medium.
Sankoh, 28, who suffered a broken right arm in October, was deployed in his usual position in defensive midfield.
Goals from Alperen Babacan 34′, Ziya Alkurt 61 and Yasin Ozan in the 89′ completed the big win for the Denzl-based club.
The former Balıkesirspor player was substituted in the 80th minutes and club skipper Veli Acar was introduced in his place.
Sankoh signed from Balıkesirspor as a free agent on a one-year deal and has settled straight in at Denizli, already featuring seven times for the club.
The former Şanlıurfaspor midfielder is a key player for Denizlispor this season.
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by FSL News | 3 Dec, 2016 | African News
The Nigerian Super Falcons have emerged champions of Africa again after beating Cameroon 1-0 in the finals of the 2016 Africa Women’s Cup of Nations on Saturday.
In front of Cameroon president Paul Biya, the Cameroonians were aiming to win their first title and also avenge their 2014 defeat by Nigeria, but Desire Oparanozie only goal was enough for the Falcons to defeat the host in a nervy final match played at the Ahmadou Ahidjo Omnisports Stadium in Yaoundé.
The win means Nigeria secure their eight African titles. The Falcons coach, Florence Omagbem is the first individual to win the AWCON as a player and a coach.
Ghana finished third in the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations after beating South Africa in the third-place match on Friday at the same stadium.
The international women’s continental competition was first held in 1991 when teams competed for the trophy over several months. It was the same format in 1995.
Since 1998, however, it has been held as a tournament every two years, with eight teams taking part. Cameroon is hosting this one, the 10th edition.
Teams are divided into two groups of four, with the top two sides advancing straight to the semi-finals.
Cameroon, who have never won the competition, qualified as hosts and were joined by Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Egypt, debutants Kenya and Mali, who replaced Equatorial Guinea after they were disqualified for fielding a player using fraudulent documents.
Nigeria are the continent’s dominant force. Only one other nation, Equatorial Guinea, has won this tournament, coming out on top in both 2008 and 2012.
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