by FSL News | 27 Jun, 2017 | Players Abroad News
Seattle Sounders have recalled Victor Mansaray from his loan spell at FC Cincinnati on Friday, the striker has confirmed.
Mansaray, 20, was sent on loan to the USL’s side until the end of the 2017 season.
Asked why his loan move was cut short he said, “Seattle wanted me back, I was playing at Seattle before my loan move and after my first international call-up Seattle decided they want me back.”
The youngster, who was part of the Sierra Leone team preparation ahead of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations first leg qualifying tie in Freetown on June 10 will be hoping to impress the Sounder’s head coach Brian Schmetzer.
The former US U20 striker did not feature in the match when Sierra Leone defeated Kenya 2-1 and was disappointed.
“I was disappointed because I didn’t have my FIFA clearance on time,” Mansaray told footballsierraleone.net
He made eight appearances at FC Cincinnati— three starts — but no goals and no assists. However, he did score three goals for Cincinnati during the preseason.
He had previously played for the United States at various youth international levels, most recently with the U20s during the Four Nations tournament that took place back in October 2016.
He featured twice in that tournament with one start and one substitute appearance.
Mansaray will face a tough competition at Sounders, 34-year-old Clint Dempsey is their top striker. Dempsey has four goals so far this season; he was on target against the Timbers on Sunday.
Mansaray has been a member of the Sounders since midway between the 2012-2013 seasons when he joined the Sounders Academy.
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by FSL News | 23 Jun, 2017 | Players Abroad News
Al-Taawoun FC, of the Saudi Professional League, have confirmed signing Sierra Leone international and DC United striker Alhaji Kamara.
The Saudi side announced on their official Twitter account today that they had signed Alhaji Kamara for an undisclosed fee from Major League Soccer side DC United.
Kamara, 23, who scored hat-trick playing for Richmond Kickers on loan from DC United, will continue his trade in the Saudi Arabian top flight division.
Kamara has appeared once for United this season, a 14-minute stint at Orlando. While on loan at Richmond Kickers in nine appearances Kamara scored four goals, including a hat-trick against Ottawa on May 27.
The former Norrköping forward scored the fastest goal on his MLS debut in 33 seconds against Sporting Kansas City for DC United, after a congenital heart condition derailed his European career.
He was cleared to resume his career after further testing from US-based doctors; the initial medical test confirmed he was suffering from a congenital heart disease, a deviation of the coronary arteries.
The 5 ft 11-inch striker made eight appearances – starting twice for DC United last Major League season.
In Sweden, he was clinical when playing for Norrköping in the Swedish Allsvenskan scoring 21 goals in 48 games in all competitions.
In 2015, he was loaned to Malaysian side Johor Darul Ta’zim F.C. but was recalled to IFK Norrköping in July 2016, where he scored seven goals in thirteen appearances to help the Swedish side win the league.
Capped four times for Sierra Leone, he began his career with local club FC Kallon, before signing on loan with Swedish first division side Djurgårdens IF in 2012 and eventually signing with IFK Norrköping in 2014.
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by FSL News | 19 Jun, 2017 | Players Abroad News
Icelandic Pepsi Top Division: Kwame Quee took his tally to 2 goals for the season by opening the scoring for his side on Monday.
Quee’s side the Ólafsvík-based club downed Stjarnan 2-1 in the Icelandic top flight as they registered only their second victory in eight games in the league this season.
The Sierra Leone International, fresh from helping Leone Stars overcoming Kenya opened the scoring in the 15 minutes from a well-executed counterattack.
The home team doubled their lead just after the restart – Gudmundur Steinn scored following a high ball forward, Thorstein was quite huge. He received amazing reception for the way he brings down the ball to make a great pass for G.Stein who put the ball crossed the line.
Quee, who was making only his fifth appearance, was again impressive but wasted a few chances perhaps he could have converted, Hilmar Halldórsson in the 85th scored the consolation goal for the visitors.
First, from bottom UMF Víkingur returns to action on Monday June 26 when it travels to face KF Víkingur Reykjavík away from home at the Vikingsvollur stadium.
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by FSL News | 19 Jun, 2017 | Players Abroad News
Sierra Leone and Inter Milan legend, Mohamed Kallon, is amongst the 25 participants, who are currently undergoing a ten-week UEFA Pro Licence coaching course in Coverciano, Italy, organised by the Italian Football Federation, FIGC.
The former Sierra Leone captain is alongside side Ex-Inter Milan and Leicester City defender, Esteban Matias Cambiasso, who is part of the intensive and final phase of the coaches training.
According to the FIGC, the training is the highest qualification recognised by them and if successful, the participant would be qualified to coach all teams in Serie A or Serie B.
The FIGC report on their website reads: “The tenth week of lessons for the UEFA Pro Licence has begun in Coverciano and it is the highest qualification recognised by the FIGC. The year-long course has entered its second phase with the participants in the lecture theatres of Coverciano until July. After the summer pause, students will undergo their final exams. If successful, they will be qualified to coach all teams in Serie A or Serie B.”
In May 2015, Kallon successfully completed his UEFA B License coaching course in Italy on a high note, finishing fourth out of the 45 participants. Already, he has CAF B License certificate, a course which he undertook in Freetown.
The list of participants on the course are; Mohamed Kallon, Salvatore Alfieri, Massimiliano Canzi, Gabriele Cioffi, Alberto Colombo, Giovanni Cornacchini, Bernardo Corradi, Lorenzo D’Anna, Roberto De Zerbi, Aimo Diana, Fulvio Fiorin, Dario Hubner, Marco Mariotti, Giovanni Martusciello, Agenore Maurizi, Massimo Mutarelli, Alessandro Oliva, Giancarlo Riolfo, Marco Rossi, Michele Santoni, Andrea Tarozzi, Vincenzo Tavarilli, Simone Tiribocchi, Francesco Vallone, Luciano Zauri and Annunziato Zavettieri.
By Sahr Morris Jr- Follow the Writer @morrisjr88
by FSL News | 17 Jun, 2017 | Players Abroad News
Yeni Amasyaspor and Sierra Leone international David Simbo is uncertain over his next move after his contract runs out with his Turkish club.
The 6 ft 3 inch defender, who paired in defence as a central partner in Leone Stars victory over Kenya is weighing up his options.
Simbo, 27, joined the Turkish side August 2016 in a bid to rejuvenate his football career following lack of regular football with Belarusian top flight side Krumkachy Minsk.
“I am currently relaxing here in Freetown before I leave for Turkey. When I’m back in Turkey I will be in a better position to give more details on my future.
“I have to look at all my options and decide on the one best for my career, the former Al-Hilal defender told footballsierraleonet.net.
Although the defender is keeping tight lips on his potential suitors, Football Sierra Leone sources have indicated that Simbo is likely to remain in Turkey plying his trade in a higher division next season.
He was very frustrated in Belarus because of lack of playing time before penned a one-year deal with the Turkish side.
When asked about the Leone Stars opening victory over Kenya, he said he was pleased with his national teammates and technical staffs.
“I was very pleased and I want to use this opportunity to acknowledged my teammates and the technical staffs, we knew it was going to be a tough home tie and we also knew the most important thing for us and for our country is to win and we did.”
Simbo has had spells in Sweden with → Motala (on loan), Trelleborg (on loan), Boden and Sandviken before joining Sudanese top-flight side Al-Hilal in 2014–2015 and later moved to Najran and Krumkachy Minsk in Belarus.
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by FSL News | 14 Jun, 2017 | Players Abroad News
Sierra Leone national team skipper Umaru ‘Zangalay’ Bangura, on Wednesday at State House in Freetown, received his Presidential Gold Medal Award as Member of the Order of the Rokel (MOR) from His Excellency of the Republic of Sierra Leone, Dr Ernest Bai Koroma.
The FC Zurich defender, alongside the Chairman of Central One Football Association (COFA), Sama Sesay, veteran sports journalist Zuhair Kudsy and Sierra Leone’s beach volleyball director, Coach Sorie Kamara, were all nominated for the Presidential Award, but the combative defender was unable to pick-up his due to club assignment in Switzerland.
For the Leone Stars skipper, there was no way better to have received such an award from the country’s president just days after he watched the national team secure a 2-1 win over Kenya at the Siaka Steven Stadium in Freetown.
Bangura, who scored Sierra Leone’s second goal as Leone Stars bagged all three points in their opening clash of the 2019 African Cup of Nations qualifiers, said; “It was an absolute a good feeling for me, especially so when the memories of Saturday’s match is still fresh in our minds.”
In August 2016, Bangura signed a three-year contract with the Swiss second-tier side FC Zürich. He has been a pivotal figure in FC Zurich’s automatic promotion to the Swiss top flight.
Bangura scored his first and only league goal in Zurich’s 5-0 thumping of Wohlen at the Niedermatten Stadium on Sunday, 2 October 2016.
By Sahr Morris Jr. Follow the Writer @morrisjr88
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