by FSL News | 9 Jul, 2016 | Players Abroad News, Video & News
HJK – FK ATLANTAS 1-1, AGG. 3-1
Sierra Leone international Mohamed ‘Medo’ Kamara played a pivotal role dominating midfield ensuring his Helsinki side progress to the Europa League second qualifying round.
HJK Helsinki played to a 1-1 draw on Thursday in the first round second leg of the UEFA Europa League qualifying round against Lithuanian side FK Atlantas and 3-1 on aggregate to reach the second round of qualifiers.
Hosts Helsinki took the lead through their Nigerian defender Taye Taiwo from the penalty spot in the 30th minutes after Nikolai Alho (HJK) was fouled in the penalty area by Adamonis (Atlantas).
The Lithuanians rallied late on in the 76th minutes Marius Papšys equalised to helped his side avoid defeat away from home.
The Finnish league leaders will now face Bulgarian club Stara Zagora in the second qualifying round of the Europa League.
Colombian striker Alfredo Morelos, 20, accounted for both goals in the first leg.
The two legs will be held on 14 and 21 July and eighteen (18) clubs will enter the second qualifying round, joined by 48 winners from the first qualifying round.
The first leg fixture – Kamara’s Helsinki will be away at the Beroe Stadium in Bulgaria, before hosting their counterpart on Thursday, 21 July 19:00 at their Sonera Stadium.
The former Bolton midfielder has made 14 appearances this season for the Veikkausliiga leaders scoring one goal.
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by FSL News | 4 Jul, 2016 | Players Abroad News
ACR Messina are reportedly closing in on a deal for Genoa and Sierra Leone international Rodney Strasser after the Italian Pro Lega side acknowledged their need to strengthen the squad.
Manager Arturo Di Napoli is weighing up his options, but his intent is to sign the Sierra Leone international midfielder if the deal is right.
Strasser, 26, was sent on loan to Croatian side, NK Zagreb from Italian Serie A side Genoa last season where has made 12 appearances but could not save them from relegating to the Croatian second tier league.
However, it is still unclear whether the former AC Milan player expected move to the Lega Pro side is on loan or a permanent deal but according to TuttoLegaPro.com, Strasser could possibly play in the third tier division in the upcoming season.
A move to ACR Messina could be Strasser second spell in the Italian Pro League following his first spell at Lupa Castelli Romani during the 2015-16 seasons.
Strasser has failed to live up to the expectation of many during his stay with AC Milan despite his outstanding performance at the Milan youth system.
In his five years spell with AC Milan, he was shipped out on loan to Lecce during the 2011-12 seasons, and in 2013 to Parma where he only made two appearances.
On 27 July 2013, the player joined Genoa on a permanent contract for €3.5 million as part of the deal that saw Kevin Constant move over to the San Siro in a co-ownership resolution in favour of the Milan club.
Strasser was later loaned out to Serie B club, Reggina in August 2013.
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by FSL News | 3 Jul, 2016 | Players Abroad News
Kei Kamara has revealed his relief at ending his goal drought after scoring in New England Revolution’s 3-2 defeat away to Montreal Impact on Saturday at the Saputo Stadium.
The Revolution prolific striker scored his first two league goals in six appearances in the opening 35 minutes against Montreal Impact since joining the New England Revolution from Columbus Crew.
Kamara, who was also on target in midweek scoring the Revs third goal in the US Open Cup against NY Cosmos, was frustrated to see his side gave away a two-goal lead.
In his post-match interview, Kamara noted: “It’s good to score goals, but I want my goals to count.”
“(I want) goals that are going to help the team get a point or three points. It’s really tough to say you scored goals and nothing really came from it.”
Head coach Jay Heaps was also happy to see Kamara put his name on the scoresheet, although he reiterated that the 31-year-old forward is an all-around contributor, not just a goal scorer.
“He’s been helping us score goals,” Heaps said. “Tonight he scored two, but he’s been dangerous for us and he’s a handful. He definitely makes teams play a little differently against us.”
Unfortunately for the Revs, it was errors at the other end of the field that proved to be their undoing.
“I feel like we’re getting more goals, but on the defensive side, we’re not good enough right now,” Heaps said. “We’re giving away, in my mind, poor goals.”
Prior to his move to Revolution Kamara has scored five goals with the Black and Gold Columbus Crew.
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by FSL News | 1 Jul, 2016 | Players Abroad News
Dinamo defender Bangura pictured facing up to a month out through injury
Dinamo Minsk defender Umaru Bangura has been ruled out for up to a month after suffering a knee injury.
The 28-year-old was forced to leave the pitch in last Saturday’s 3-1 league defeat away to Isloch and was replaced by V Korytko.
The Sierra Leonean defender has already missed Dinamo first leg 2-1 victory over Spartaks Jurmala in Europa League qualifier at home on Thursday.
“I’m injured and will be out for three to four weeks. I was injured in our last league match,” the former Honefoss defender confirmed his injury to footballsierraleone.net
The Belarusian top-flight side opens their 2016/17 Europa League campaign by defeating Spartaks 2-1 at their Traktor multi-complex stadium.
The Leone Stars skipper is a very important player for the Minsk-based club and has made 13 appearances so far this season.
Bangura, however, will miss important League fixtures and their Europa League return fixture away to Latvian Virsliga side FK Spartaks slated for July 7, 2016, at the Slokas Stadium.
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by FSL News | 1 Jul, 2016 | Players Abroad News
Belarusian top flight club Dinamo Minsk won the first leg of their Europa league qualifier at home defeating Latvian side Spartaks 2-1 at their Traktar multi-complex stadium on Thursday.
However, the Sierra Leone national skipper Umaru Bangura was not part of the Minsk’s side that narrowly defeated the visiting Virsliga side.
Atrem Bykov scored the winner in the 81 minutes to rescue the home side after Danills Ulimbaseves level the score line in the 79th minute to silence the home fans.
The Belarusian midfielder opens the scoring for the home side in the 18th minutes.
The return fixture is slated for July 7, 2016, at the Slokas Stadium and the winner will face the winner between Irish side Saint Patrick’s Athletic and AS Jeuness Esch from Luxembourg.
Meanwhile, Mohamed Medo Kamara was in action dominating midfield helping his HJK Helsinki side to a 2-0 away victory over Atlantas in their first Europa League tie.
Ghanaian striker Richard Gadze came off the bench to impress in Helsinki’s Europa League victory on Thursday.
Colombian striker Alfredo Morelos, 20, accounted for both goals as Helsinki edge closer to the second round.
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by FSL News | 29 Jun, 2016 | Players Abroad News
New England Revolution striker and 2015 MLS WORKS Humanitarian award winner, Kei Ansu Kamara has been nominated for the American Broadcast Television network (ABC), Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly Award (ESPY).
The other three nominees for Best MLS Player are – Montreal Impact defender and 2015 MLS Defender of the Year Laurent Ciman, New York Red Bulls goalkeeper and 2015 MLS Goalkeeper of the Year Luis Robles and Toronto FC attacker and 2015 Landon Donovan MLS MVP Sebastian Giovinco,
ESPN confirmed the list of nominees for the 2016 ESPYs on Thursday, and four MLS players and US women’s national team star Carli Lloyd are all up for awards.
The Sierra Leonean once again will contest against Toronto and Italian striker Sebastian Giovinco.
Giovinco, 29, defeated Kamara to win the 2015 MLS soccer Golden Boot award.
Last season he was tied with Kamara on 22 goals but having double the assists — a league-high 16 — breaking the league record for combined goals and assists.
Fans must vote as the winners will be determined by fan voting, with fans able to cast their vote online at ESPYS.com up until the start of the award show.
The 2016 ESPYs will be hosted by WWE Legend John Cena and broadcast live on ABC at 8 pm ET on Wednesday, July 13.
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