Sierra Leone launch Afcon campaign with Ethiopia friendly

Sierra Leone launch Afcon campaign with Ethiopia friendly

    Sierra Leone will kick off their African Cup of Nations preparation with a friendly against the Walias of Ethiopia at the Bahir Dar International Stadium on Thursday. Kickoff 3 pm Ethiopian time.

    The match in Ethiopia will serve as the first since Sierra Leone qualified for the continental showpiece after 25-years. A win for the West Africans will means two straight just under two months.

    The Ethiopians are preparing for the World Cup qualifiers and African Cup of Nations while Sierra Leone is in Afcon Group E alongside defending champions Algeria, Ivory Coast and Equatorial Guinea.

    Iraq-based striker Sheka Fofanah and Regionalliga West side Rot Weiss Ahlen defender Daniel Francis included in the squad dominated by homebased stars to face Ethiopia.

    Fofanah scored his first goal for Sierra Leone in a 1-0 win over Sudan in the June 2016 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier. 

    The Leone Stars first-ever meeting with the Ethiopians ended in a 1-0 defeat for the West African Nation in September 2019 at the Hawassa International Stadium.

    Despite this contest is outside the Fifa window, the Walias of Ethiopia taking it seriously, considering they will face Ghana and Zimbabwe in next month’s World Cup second-round qualifiers.

    Sierra Leone last win away against their present Cup of Nations in Cameroon Group E opponent, Equatorial Guinea 8th September 2002, in Malabo, during the 2004 Africa Cup of Nations Group 7 qualifiers.

    Goals from Mamadou Bah in the 38-minute, Muwahid Sesay 46′ and Sidique Mansaray gave Leone Stars a 3-1 away victory.

    Since then, the national team have not managed another away victory in 19 years.

    A win for the Leone Stars will means two straight just under two months.

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    Ex-Sierra Leone defender Bangura named new Ports Authority coach

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    Former Sierra Leone international Lamin Bangura has been handed a new task with Premier League side Ports Authority.

    Lamin Bangura will take charge of the East End giant club on a two-year deal until summer 2023.

    His new task will be to guide them to a respectable position in the Sierra Leone Premier League. They are presently in twelfth position in the halted season after two wins, three draws and four defeats with 10 points.

    “We are delighted to welcome Lamin Bangura into the Ports Authority family. The club has contracted him on a two-year deal until 2023 after proving he’s the man for the job. He has a good resume and is one of the coaches you like to bring in to your football club,” General-Secretary Idrissa Mago Tarawally told FSL news.

    “Lamin Bangura has been helping assistant coach Hassan Milla Sesay, and during this time, we have seen enough of his pedigree over the last two weeks.”

    Bangura is no stranger to the league after guided Diamond Stars to the title in 2012. Just recently, he was named national Homebased and U23 coach by the Sierra Leone Football Association. He also has a wealth of experience coaching in Guinea.

    During his playing days, Bangura played for Diamond Stars, Republicans in Sierra Leone before moving to Guinea to play for AS Kaloum.

    He departed Guinea to play for ASEC Mimosa of Ivory Coast and Etoile Sportive Du Shahel of Tunisia.

    He was part of the AS Kaloum team that reached the 1995 final of the defunct CAF clubs cup competition.

    At International Level, the former Diamond stars coach made many appearances for Leone Stars. He was part of the Leone Stars team that participated during the 1994 and 1996 Africa Cup of Nations in Tunisia and South Africa, respectively.

    Connect with us @football_sierra, on Facebook/ Instagram Football Sierra Leone, the writer @bittar32 Contact bi****@*********************ne.net

    Sierra  Leone to open Afcon against defending Champions Algeria

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    Sierra Leone will have a lot to chew after the Afcon 2021 draw pits the Leone stars against two former champions and a host. 

    Making its third appearance, Sierra Leone will open its first campaign in 26 years against titleholders Algeria on January 11 at the Japoma Stadium in Douala. 

    Five days later, Sierra Leone takes on the elephant of the Ivory Coast at the same venue. The Leone Stars will be up against Equatorial Guinea in their final game at the Omnisport Stadium in Limbe. 

    The West African nation will go up against Algeria, Ivory Coast and Equatorial Guinea in Group E for two automatic places to the round of 16. 

    The draw was conducted at Yaounde Conference Centre on Tuesday. The 24 participating teams were divided into six groups of four teams each. 

    In Tunisia 1994, the elephant of Ivory Coast walloped Sierra Leone 4-0 on 27 March in Sousse whilst Algeria defeated Sierra Leone 2-0 in 1996 Afcon at the Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein in South Africa. 

    This will be the first meeting between Equatorial Guinea and Sierra Leone in a continental showpiece. However, the two nations have played each other six times, with the West African Nations won 3-2 during a FIFA World Cup qualifier on 7 September 2013. 

    Although the tournament is delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 24 team Afcon 2021 competition gets underway in less than five months. The 33rd CAF African Cup of Nations (AFCON), taking place from the 9th January to the 6th February 2022 in Cameroon. 

    Meanwhile, five-time Africa Cup of Nations winners Cameroon will open the tournament against Burkina Faso, runners-up of 2013 AFCON. 

    Sierra Leone Group E Matches

    11 January 2022

    Algeria Vs Sierra Leone
    Japoma stadium, Douala
    13:00GMT

    16 January 2022

    Ivory Coast Vs Sierra Leone
    Japoma stadium, Douala
    16:00GMT

    20 January 2022

    Sierra Leone Vs Equatorial Guinea
    Limbé stadium, Limbé
    16:00GMT

    The Full Draw

    Group A: Cameroon, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Cape Verde

    Group B: Senegal, Zimbabwe, Guinea, Malawi

    Group C: Morocco, Ghana, Comoros, Gabon

    Group D: Nigeria, Egypt, Sudan, Guinea-Bissau

    Group E: Algeria, Sierra Leone, Equatorial Guinea, Ivory Coast

    Group F: Tunisia, Mali, Mauritania, Gambia

    Road to Final

    • Group stage: from January 9 to 20, 2022
    • Round of 16: January 23-26, 2022
    • Quarter-finals: January 29 and 30, 2022
    • Semi-finals: February 2 and 3, 2022
    • Third Place match and Final: February 6, 2022

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    Greek top-tier side Panetolikos’ new acquisition Jonathan Morsay says it will be an ample opportunity to represent the Green, White and Blue of Sierra Leone.

    The Swedish-born, hailing from a Sierra Leonean parent, set for a new adventure in Greece after signing a two deal with his new side.

    Last season, he played with Romanian Liga I side Dinamo București, on loan from Chievo Verona. He featured in 16 games for Bucureşti and scored two goals.

    When asked about representing Sierra Leone, he said: “Yes, It is a big opportunity for me. But at present, my focus is starting well for my club,” Morsay told FSL News.

    “I am looking forward to playing in the Greek Superleague as I am excited to start. We are starting the new season at home against Asteras Tripolis on the 21 August, and I hope I have done enough to make my debut.”

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    Sierra Leone have been ranked 106 in the latest FIFA/Coca-Cola Men’s World Ranking announced on Thursday. 

    The West African Nation now ranked 24th in Africa 106 globally after qualifying for their third continental showpiece since 1996 following a 1-0 win over Benin at the Stade Général Lansana Conté de Nongoin Guinea on June 15.

    As a result, they jumped eight places up, which could eventually see them seeded in Pot three ahead of the African Cup of Nations draw on August 17 in Cameroon.

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    The 24-nations will be divided into a group of four, with six teams each from Pot one to four ahead of TotalEnergies 33rd edition of the continental showpiece expected to run from January 9 to February 6 2022.

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    Expected CAF seedings – In the bracket are present Fifa rankings for each qualified Nation.

    Pot 1 Hosts Cameroon (54), Senegal (21), Tunisia (28), Nigeria (32), Algeria (30), Morocco (32). 

    Pot 2 Egypt (46), Ghana (52), Ivory Coast (57), Mali (60), Burkina-Fas (62), Guinea (76).

    Pot 3 Cape Verbe (65), Gabon (85), Sierra Leone (106), ( Guinea-Bissau (109), Malawi (118), Zimbabwe (108).

    Pot 4 Sudan (121), Equatorial Guinea (132), Comoros (133), Ethiopia (137), The Gambia (148), Mauritania (170).

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    Sierra Leone to intensify preparations for next year’s Cup of Nations in Cameroon.

    John Keister and his side will head to the Democratic Republic of the Congo later this month for friendly games.

    The SLFA says the Leone Stars to participate in the 2nd DR Congo International Football Tournament in Kinshasa from August 22-25 and a friendly match against Ethiopia on August 28 this year.

    The expected participating countries in the Congo DR tourney includes; hosts DR Congo, Nigeria and Congo Brazzaville.

    On Tuesday, August 17 2021, all 24 nations will know their group opponents for the TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations, Cameroon 2021.

    The local Organisation team in Cameroon will broadcast the draw live from 19h00 local time (18h00 GMT).

    African Football News – Follow us on Twitter @football_sierra On Facebook & Instagram: Football Sierra Leone.