Guinea have been stripped of hosting the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations because the infrastructure is not yet ready, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) President Patrice Motsepe announced in Conakry.

“We are not ready as of yet in Guinea – and we should reopen the process” of allowing prospective host countries to bid, Motsepe said in a press conference.

President Motsepe said: “I visited Guinea today out of respect to the people of Guinea to discuss CAF’s willingness to advise and work together with the football stakeholders to construct and build football infrastructure and facilities in this country. 

This will enable Guinea to bid with other competing Nations for the African Nations Championships (“CHAN”) which will take place after the CHAN to be hosted by Algeria in 2023, in the light of the decision by CAF not to proceed with the TotalEnergies AFCON 2025 in Guinea.”

The CAF Executive Committee will be meeting on Saturday, 1 October 2022 in Algiers, Algeria and will take a decision to re-open the bidding process for the TotalEnergies AFCON 2025.

In 2014, CAF awarded the 2019 tournament to Cameroon, the 2021 event to Ivory Coast and the 2023 edition to Guinea. 

Then Egypt replaced Cameroon for 2019 with CAF shifting the calendar, awarding the 2021 edition to Cameroon, which was held this year, and the 2023 edition to Ivory Coast. 

Guinea had then agreed to organise the 2025 edition. This is also a severe blow to Guinea. Colonel Mamady Doumbouya, who came to power in a coup in September 2021, had expressed his firm intention to honour the commitment to hosting.

The event was always going to be a significant challenge for one of the world’s poorest countries, which is sorely lacking in infrastructure, sports facilities and transportation.

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Sierra Leone will open this year’s TotalEnergies U-17 Africa Cup of Nations Qualifiers for WAFU (Zone A) tournament on Saturday 1st October, against host Mauritania.

The Multi-purpose Shebkha Bedia stadiums will host the opener kickoff at 6 pm. Host Mauritania battle Liberia on Monday, October 3, in their final match.

WAFU U17 competition will run from 1st to 10th October 2022. The two finalists are to compete in the U17 tournament in Algeria in 2023.

The Sierra Stars of Sierra Leone contingent comprises 23 players and 13 Officials.

Across all national levels, Sierra Stars remain the only Sierra Leone side to have participated in a FIFA competition after their impressive performance in the 2003 U-17 African qualifiers hosted in Swaziland and qualified for the World Cup finals in Finland alongside Nigeria and Cameroon under the guidance of former Sierra Leone International Musa Kallon.

U17 tournament in Mauritania 🇲🇷 Sierra Leone to face host and neighbours Liberia 🇱🇷

The competition is set to run from October 1st to 10th 2022.

Two finalists to compete in the U17 tournament in Algeria 2023. #SaloneTwitter #AfricanFootball @football_sierra pic.twitter.com/PYeCUCgAq2

— Alie Bittar (@bittar32) July 20, 2022

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After a disappointing display against South Africa, coach John Keister’s side will focus on amending their poor showing when they lock horns with DRC Leopards on Tuesday in Casablanca.

A brace from Themba Zwane in the 33′ 66′, Mihlali Mayambela 49′, and Aubrey Modiba 72′ were enough to condemn the Leone Stars to a 4-0 heavy defeat in their first International friendly on Saturday at the FNB stadium. 

The Leone Stars will now turn attention to Tuesday’s encounter with DRC Leopards, who were defeated by Burkina-Faso 1-0 at the Stade Père Jégo on Friday in Casablanca.

Both nations are coming into this contest from a back of a defeat, but DRC never lost to their West African counterparts.

The Leone Stars coach, during his post-match interview after the awful defeat to South Africa, noted that his side suffered as a result of poor preparations.

“The reality is there – if you don’t get it right in terms of preparations, this is what’s going to happen. We looked very tired – you can’t have players leaving their base from Monday hanging around hotels waiting for visas to come into South Africa.”

“What do you expect if you train for an hour, not even an hour, to come and play against a decent side? There’s no magic about it.”

During the 2014 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, DRC recorded a back-to-back defeat against Sierra Leone and scored five goals in Lubumbashi.

This encounter will be the third between the two nations. 

Meanwhile, Leone Stars arrived in Casablanca today ahead of their second International friendly slated to be played at the Stade Père Jégo.

Coach Keister is expected to make a few changes to the side that was heavily defeated in South Africa. 

Sierra Leone Spain-based midfielder Alusine Koroma is set to join the team in Morocco today. Koroma made his senior international debut on 17 March 2018 in a friendly against Iran.

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DR Congo technical head Sébastien Desabre has summoned 28 players for this month’s training camp in Morocco against Sierra Leone and Burkina-Faso.

Both matches will be part of their African Cup of Nations 2023 preparation as the Leopard of DR Congo will play on September 23, 2022, against Burkina Faso before taking on their West African counterpart on September 27.

Next week’s meeting will be the third between the two nations. The Leone Stars of Sierra Leone have never defeated the Leopards of DR Congo.

The last encounter was in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations group D qualifier in Lubumbashi, won by the host DRC  3-1.

The full list of named players 

Keepers

1. KIASSUMBUA JOEL (AC BELLINZONA – SUISSE)
2. MPASI NAZU LIONEL (RODEZ FC – FRANCE)
3. SIADI BAGGIO (TP MAZEMBE – RD CONGO)

Defenders

4. BOKA ISSAKA CHADRACK (FC SAINT ELOI LUPOPO)
5. BOPE BOKADI MERVEILLE (STANDARD DE LIEGE – BELGIQUE)
6. IDUMBA FASIKA NATHAN (CAPE TOWN CITY – AFRIQUE DU SUD)
7. INONGA BAKA (SC SIMBA – TANZANIE)
8. KALULU GEDEON (FC LORIENT – FRANCE)
9. MASUAKU ARTHUR (BESIKTAS – TURQUIE)
10. MBEMBA CHANCEL (OLYMPIQUE MARSEILLE – FRANCE)
11. MUKOKO AMALE (DIFAA EL JADIDA – MAROC)

Midfielders

12. BASTIEN SAMUEL (BURNLEY FC – ANGLETERRE)
13. BONGONDA THEO (CADIZ FC – ESPAGNE)
14. KAYEMBE EDO (WATFORD FC – ANGLETERRE)
15. KEBANO NEESKENS (FULHAM FFC – ANGLETERRE)
16. LILEPO MAKABY GLODY (AL HILAL FC – SOUDAN)
17. MIKA MICHE (FC SAINT ELOI LUPOPO – RD CONGO)
18. MOUTOUSSAMY SAMUEL (FC NANTES – FRANCE)
19. NGOMA LUAMBA FABRICE (AL FEHAYHEEL – KOWEIT)
20. WISSA YOANE (BRENTFORD – ABGLETERRE)

Attackers

21. AKOLO CHADRAC (SAINT GALLIEN – SUISSE)
22. BAKAMBU CEDRIC (OLYMPIQUE DE MARSEILLE)
23. KINZUMBI PHILIPPE (TP MAZEMBE – RD CONGO)
24. ELIA MESHACK (YOUNG BOYS – SUISSE)
25. LUSAMBA ARNAUD (ANALYASPOR – TURQUIE)
26. MALANGO NGITA BEN (QATAR SCF – QATAR)
27. MULEKA JACKSON (BESIKITAS-TURQUIE)
28. MVUMPA KATOMPA SILAS (STUTTGART – ALLEMAGNE)

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CAF Confed Cup: FC Kallon 3-0 Les Buffles (4-0 agg) – Kallon progress to the second round 

Sierra Leone CAF Confederation Cup representative FC Kallon were good value for their win with a free-flowing display as striker Alie Conteh scored a hat-trick at the SDK stadium in Liberia on Saturday.

Having secured a 1-0 victory in the first leg of their CAF Confederation Cup first-leg preliminary over Les Buffles du Borgou at the Stade de l’Amitie in Cotonou, Benin, on Friday, Kallon completed the job with three more goals.

FC Kallon, under the supervision of ex-Sierra Leone international Mohamed Kallon, are through to the second round of the CAF Confederation Cup following their 3-0 win over Les Buffles du Borgou on Saturday.

After wasting several glorious chances in the opening 30th-minute, mainly from Kwame Nketiah, but managed to nick the tie from a goal from Mahmoud Fofanah in the 42ndh minute at the SDK Stadium in Liberia.

Mahmoud Fofanah cleverly danced passed his marker and tried to go solo, but his effort was headed in by striker Alie Conteh in the 64th minute into the top roof of the net.

The visitors, however, late into the first half, rallied for a goal of their own but couldn’t break down a resilient Kallon defence. They went into the break 1-0 goal down.

After the restart, the home side maintained good possession of the ball and took the play to their counterpart.

As a result, striker Alie Conteh completed his hat-trick in quick succession in the 65th and 67th minutes, respectively, as they won 4-0 on aggregate and will wait to know who they face in the second round – between BIDCO Uganda Limited Jinja and Future FC of Egypt.

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In their quest to reach the next stage of the CAF Confederation Cup, FC Kallon General Manager Tunde Scott has warned players against complacency ahead of the second leg preliminary on Saturday in Liberia.

Kallon with the first leg advantage after an impressive away 1-0 win over Les Buffles du Burgos at the General Mathieu Kérékou Friendship Stadium in Cotonou, Benin, on Friday.

“We won the first leg 1-0, but we know Les Buffles de Borgou are coming here like Lions. So we have to be mindful of the threat they will pose against us,” Tunde Scott warned.

“They also have a young team, though they’re relatively more experienced players. You could see how that individual quality made the difference against us despite winning away.

“We’ve got to be focused, try to avoid complacency. On paper, perhaps, we look better than them, but Buffles have a lot of talented individuals – though fortunately for us, they lost their home tie against us.”

He, however, called on Sierra Leoneans to rally behind the team. We are in this competition to represent Sierra Leone because when we won, Sierra Leoneans were happy, so let them support these players and the management,” he appealed.

Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex in Liberia to host the return fixtures on the 17th. The aggregate winner will face the winner between Uganda’s BUL FC and Future FC of Egypt in the next stage.

By Martin Wusha in Algeria – Connect with us @football_sierra – on Facebook/ Instagram, Football Sierra Leone, and National News – FSL African Inter-clubs News.