by FSL News | 21 Feb, 2019 | African News
AFCON 2019: Hosts Egypt named six venues for finals.
Africa Cup of Nations 2019 hosts Egypt, has named six venues across five cities for the new 24 teams tournament to be played between 21 June – 19 July.
The venues include Cairo International Stadium, controversial Port Said Stadium, where 72 supporters died during the country’s worst violence at a soccer stadium in 2012.
The Egypt Football Association (EFA), also named Alexandria, Ismailia and Suez as part of the venues for the new-look 24-team tournament.
“We had initially proposed eight sites for the tournament but after an inspection by a Caf [Confederation of African Football] delegation, we chose only six,” EFA spokesman Ahmed Megahed said.
The full list of stadiums are Cairo International Stadium, Air Force Stadium, Port Said Stadium, Ismailia Stadium, Suez Sports Stadium and, the Alexandra Stadium.
The Confederation of African Football announced Egypt as host early January after Cameroon were stripped of hosting rights due to delays over their preparations for the tournament.
By Prince Scott African Correspondent, Follow Us on Twitter @football_sierra, on Facebook/Instagram Football Sierra Leone.
by FSL News | 17 Feb, 2019 | African News
Mali will lock horns against unbeaten Senegal on Sunday in the final of the Total U-20 Africa Cup of Nations in Niamey.
Both nations are going into this contest searching for first U-20 continental glory at the Stade General Seyni Kountche.
Both finalists, alongside Nigeria and South Africa, have qualified for the U-20 World Cup in Poland this summer.
Four years ago, Ghana, Mali, Nigeria and Senegal represented the continent at the U-20 World Cup in New Zealand.
The Malians defeated Nigeria on penalties after a 1-1 draw in the semi-finals en-route to the final.
This contest has been dubbed a repeat of the opening Group B match which Senegal won 2-0 in Maradi.
Senegal’s coach Youssouph Dabo says the final will not be a repeat of the group encounter which his side won 2-0.
“Facing Mali will be a different match because it is a final. We have beaten them in the first game but, I said it after that game that they can go far so I am not surprised to see them in the final,” he insisted.
Mali’s coach Mamoutou Kane admitted his side were lucky against Nigeria in the semifinals, which he said was exhausting.
“It was a very exhausting match in the head and in the belly. Luck was with us so congratulations and courage to the Nigerian coach.
“For us, the goal is achieved we were the first team to have lost and, we are today the first to qualify for the final,” Kane told journalist after qualifying for the final.
The two teams will be searching for their first Africa U-20 Cup of Nations triumph with Senegal finishing second in the last two editions.
They narrowly lost to Nigeria 1-0 in 2015 on home soil before going down 2-0 to Zambia in 2017.
Meanwhile, Flying Eagles of Nigeria on Saturday, February 16 lost out on penalties to South Africa in the third-place game of the 2019 U20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
After a goalless 90 minutes and extra-time, the Flying Eagles lost on bronze after Adamu Ibrahim’s penalty was saved by South African goalkeeper Walter Kubheka.
Follow Us on Twitter @football_sierra, on Facebook/Instagram Football Sierra Leone
by FSL News | 13 Feb, 2019 | African News
Sierra Leone’s Isha Johansen has called on the Confederation of African Football, CAF to a sitting before it internal squabbling gets out of control.
The embattled SLFA boss, who is still under investigation on allegations of corruption-related charges, has written a letter to executive committee members requesting an urgent meeting.
Her letter emerged after two leaked letters from another exco member, Musa Bility, accused CAF president Ahmad Ahmad of violating the governing body’s statutes.
In her letter, also sent to Ahmad, Johansen wrote that the CAF leadership was “sitting on what I believe strongly has the potential of spiralling out of control.”
Football Sierra Leone understands that she also questioned the lack of response from the exco to the criticism of Ahmad, calling it a “deafening silence.”
“Am I the only one feeling that there is a storm behind this calm?”
A few days ago, former Liberia FA boss Musa Bility resigned from two senior CAF posts in protest over how Ahmad handles management of Africa’s ruling body, writing that CAF risked becoming the “subject of ridicule around the world.”
“I can no longer summon the courage to work in these posts at the whims and caprices of the president who I believe is leading this noble organisation in the wrong direction,” Bility said in his letter.
The outspoken Bility himself in the past faced with allegations of corruption having failed an integrity test during the 2016 FIFA presidential election won by Gianni Infantino.
On his attack on Ahmad’s leadership style, Bility claimed Ahmad told him: “I’m the president and I do as I want.”
Meanwhile, Sierra Leone facing a Fifa suspension until the alleged corruption trial against Isha Johansen and Chris Kamara concludes.
Follow Us on Twitter @football_sierra, on Facebook/Instagram Football Sierra Leone – the writer @bittar32 contact: bi****@****************ne.net.
by FSL News | 12 Feb, 2019 | African News
Guinean top-flight side Horoya beat Zimbabwean club Platinum 2-0 in their Caf Champions League Group B at Stade du 28 Septembre in Conakry on Tuesday.
As a result, Horoya have moved up to second place in the group B standings winning two draws one and a defeat of their four matches played.
Ocansey Mandela and Yakubu Hudu scored for the Guinean side who move two points clear of second-placed Orlando Pirates and a point behind defending champions Esperance de Tunis.
Horoya’s next CAF Champions League action is a trip to Rades to take on Esperance while Platinum travel to South Africa to face Orlando Pirates next month.
Elsewhere, South African side Mamelodi Sundowns played to a barren draw against ASEC Mimosas at Stade Félix Houphouët-Boigny in a Caf Champions League Group A clash on Tuesday.
Both teams were unable to find any real rhythm on a bumpy pitch in Abidjan.
The result means, Sundowns having won two of their four group matches remain top of the table with seven points.
Sundowns next action will be against Nigerian side Lobi Stars, who stand bottom of the table in South Africa’s capital next month while ASEC host to Wydad on matchday five.
Follow Us on Twitter @football_sierra, on Facebook/Instagram Football Sierra Leone
by FSL News | 9 Feb, 2019 | African News
Nigeria and South Africa have booked their FIFA U-20 World Cup places after Friday wins at the Under 20 Africa Cup of Nations in Niger.
The 22nd edition of the FIFA U-20 World Cup is slated to be placed between 23 May to 15 June in Poland this year.
Nigeria beat hosts Niger 1-0 at the Stade Général S. K in Niamey, in their final group match with Ibrahim Alhassan scored the only goal in 73rd-minute.
South Africa on the other hand, secured all three point after a 1-0 win over Burundi at the Stade de Maradi with Luke Le Roux converted a penalty in the 9th minute.
The results mean both Nigeria and South Africa are into the semi-finals of the U-20 Nations Cup.
Nigeria finished top of Group A on seven points with South Africa second on five points.
Hosts Niger was third on two points with Burundi finishing bottom of the standings on one point.
Senegal was the first team to qualify for the World Cup from Niger 2019 after their 2-0 win over Ghana on Thursday.
The final Group B matches will be played on Saturday Mali taking on Ghana in Niamey and Senegal taking on Burkina Faso in Maradi.
Follow Us on Twitter @football_sierra, on Facebook/Instagram Football Sierra Leone.
by FSL News | 8 Feb, 2019 | African News
Burkina Faso international Aristide Bance in a surprise move has returned to his home country to join US des Forces Armées until end of the season.
The former Beerschot A.C striker, who has been trading for over 14 years in Europe terminated his contract with Al Masry in late 2018.
He made 19 appearances with the Port Said-based club scoring eight goals and produced three assists.
The former Al Masry striker made 73 appearances for Burkina Faso, including 2013, 2015 and 2017 Nations Cups, and has scored 22 goals.
Bance had spells with clubs in Ivory Coast, Belgium, UAE, Latvia, Finland, Qatar, Ukraine, South Africa and Kazakhstan.
Sources close to the striker has said he needed a fresh start to revitalise his career ahead of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt.
He last played for Burkina Faso in their 4-0 home win against Cape Verde in a 2018 World Cup qualifier on 14 November 2017.
Follow Us on Twitter @football_sierra, on Facebook/Instagram Football Sierra Leone.
Sierra Leone | Highlights -