by FSL News | 12 Apr, 2018 | International, National Sport News Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone latest global ranking for April 2018
The Leone Stars of Sierra Leone have plummeted further four places to 102nd in the latest FIFA rankings after a loss to World Cup-bound Iran last month.
Iran takes apart a Sierra Leone side largely dominated by local stars 4-0 in an international friendly at the Tehran’s Azadi Stadium March 17.
A brace for Ali Gholizadeh and a goal apiece for Mohammad Reza Khanzadeh and Kaveh Rezaei helped the host to outclass their struggling visitors.
Sierra Leone came close to their worst ever defeat to Mali 6–0 in Bamako, Mali; 17 June 2007.
Meanwhile, in Africa, Sierra Leone, currently static in 22nd position despite moved four places down from 98th to 102 in the world 51st places behind Ghana who are leading Group F in the race to Cameroon 2019 on goals margins.
However, Sierra Leone still ahead of Kenya and Ethiopia in the global rankings both ranked 113 and 145 respectively.
Sierra Leone last victory was against Kenya in the opener of African Nations Cup 2019 qualifiers in Freetown
Tunisia, Africa’s highest-ranked team, impressively moved nine places to No. 14, dropping CONCACAF leader Mexico to No. 15. Iran leads the Asian teams at No. 36.
Liberia who dropped 16 places to 151 overall and 45 in Africa are the biggest losers on the continent.
Germany remains on top of the world rankings despite losing to No. 2 Brazil in a recent friendly.
Global Top Ten for April
1. Germany 2. Brazil 3. Belgium 4. Portugal 5. Argentina 6. Switzerland 7. France 8. Spain 9. Chile (10) Poland.
Africa Top Ten for April
1 Tunisia 2. Senegal 3. DR Congo 4. Morocco 5. Egypt 6. Nigeria 7. Cameroon 8. Ghana 9. Burkina Faso 10. Cape Verde Islands 22. Sierra Leone
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by FSL News | 2 Apr, 2018 | International, National Sport News Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone Shooting Stars starting X1 at the 24 de Setembro Stadium
Guinea Bissau matchday squad first team
Sierra Leone’s Shooting Stars suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat to Guinea Bissau in the U-20 African Cup of Nations first leg preliminary.
Italy’s Sampdoria striker João Cláudio Gomes Ricciulli scored the only goal for the host in the opening 11th minute’s well-conducted counterattack on Sunday in Bissau at the 24 de Setembro Stadium.
In a tough and difficult period of the match, resilient Sierra Leone played for almost 30 minutes with a man down following Joseph K Turay sending off in the 65th minute.
Seven of the 15 foreign-based named by Coach Emiliano Te’ for this contest, was unable to play reasons unknown.
Sierra Leone Cameroonian technician, Ken Tabi will see this result as the perfect opportunity to set a date with Nigeria’s Flying Eagles.
But, Shooting Stars will have to produce the goals at the Bo City Stadium in a fortnight if they are to reach the next round of the U-20 qualifiers.
Sierra Leone US-based attacker, Rodney Michael started on the bench and was introduced in the in 55th minutes second half replacing Masalakie Bangura to make his youth U-20 debut for his country of birth.
The winner between the two countries will face Nigeria’s Flying Eagles of Nigeria.
The Flying Eagles will then play away to the overall winners of this first round clash on May 11, 12 or 13 with the return leg in Nigeria a week later.
In his post-match interview, Djurtinhos Emiliano Té lamented the impossibility of having seven players not allowed for the match this afternoon. but emphasized that the most important was to win at home against Sierra Leone.
Té confessed that the decision of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) changed the plans of the technical team for the first leg of the qualifying first leg for AFCON-Niger’2019.
“It is difficult to manage, but we believe in the players we have available and we have won,” Emiliano Té emphasized and then conceded that the result is a little thin, adding that the U20 national team is still under construction.
Sierra Leone’s assistant coach, Raymond Lewis maintained that Shooting Stars will do their best to eliminate the ‘Djurtinhos’ in Sierra Leone.
Weekend First Leg Results – Saturday, 31 March 2018
Mauritania 2-0 Morocco
Algeria 3-1 Tunisia
Uganda 5-1 South Sudan
Tanzania 0-0 DR Congo
Seychelles 0-0 Mozambique
Malawi 0-0 Swaziland
Botswana 0-0 Namibia
Sunday, 1 April 2018
Guinea Bissau 1-0 Sierra Leone
*Liberia vs Benin
*Liberia withdrew, Benin qualified for the second round
By: Bissau Journalist Sene CAMARÁ (Seninho) – Photos: Marcelo Na Ritche – Follow Us On Twitter @football_sierra/On Facebook: Football Sierra Leone
by FSL News | 31 Mar, 2018 | International, National Sport News Sierra Leone
Photos: Marcelo Na Ritche: Sierra Leone Shooting Stars arrived in Guinea Bissau
The Sierra Leone U20 team is already in Bissau to challenge the ‘Djurtinhos’ tomorrow, Easter Sunday, April 1, 2018, at the National Stadium ’24 de Setembro.
The match is the first leg doubleheader of the African Cup of Nations U20 qualifiers of the pre- (CAN’2019) of the category to be held in Niger.
In his first statement, Shooting Stars Cameroonian technician Ken Tabi said to the microphones he feels at home, as well as his players, pointing out the climate, which according to his reading, is similar to the climate of Sierra Leone, thanking the good reception at Osvaldo Vieira International Airport, adding that they feel comfortable in Guinea-Bissau.
“We came not to participate in the game but to win, the team is in a high spirit of winning with a view to bringing joy to the Sierra Leoneans, “said Ken Tabi.
When asked if the arrival on the eve of the game would not influence the group’s performance, Ken Tabi noted that his team does not complain of fatigue.
Noting that they made a transit from the neighbouring republic of Guinea Conakry, where they rested and trained this morning before entering the plane to Bissau, given that the climate situation is the same as Freetown, capital of Sierra Leone.
Meanwhile, Guinea Bissau technician Emiliano Te’ lined-up 20-man squad including 15 foreign-based for the Niger 2019 first leg doubleheader U20 AFCON preliminary qualifier.
The aggregate winner over the two legs will face Nigeria’s Flying Eagles of Nigeria.
By Bissau Journalist Sene Camara’ (Seninho) Follow us On Twitter @football_serra/Facebook Football Sierra Leone
by FSL News | 30 Mar, 2018 | International, National Sport News Sierra Leone
Rodney Michael, who is based in the United States is expected to be part of the Sierra Leone U20 squad, Football Sierra Leone understands.
Shooting Stars will play away in Bissau on Sunday, in the first leg of the 2019 U-20 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.
The 19-year-old starlet and US Dunn School product is earmarked to make his Sierra Leone U20 debut at the 24 de Setembro Stadium. The second leg is to be played at Bo City Stadium.
The Sierra Leone native, who played for the Santa Barbara Soccer Club from 2014-2017, led the club to the 2016 U-18 National Championship and earned Best-XI honours.
Read More. Michael Lands on Top Drawer’s All-Freshman First Team.
Another player, who has confirmed he will be joining the team is 18-year-old Benevolence Kargbo from Lizzy sports academy in Ghana.
Sources close to the Sierra Leone Football Association, (SLFA) have confirmed the team will travel today Friday en route Conakry Guinea and arrive in Guinea Bissau Friday night for the match barring any unforeseen circumstances.
In another development, Mercury International on Thursday approved $30,000 in emergency funding as a major boost to the country’s National youth side.
Sierra Leone expected a delegation to Guinea Bissau
1 Sylvanus Parkins, 2 Mohamed Nbalie Kamara, 3 Joseph Turay, 4 Tijan Sie Bangura, 5 Salif Conteh, Bankole Cole, 6 Masalaki Bangura, 8 Mohamed Fogbawa, 9 James Mansaray, 10 Julius Goba, 11 John Thomas Kamara, 12 Solomon Lewis, 13 Alhassan Koroma, 14 Alusine Koroma, 15 Musa Kamara, 16 Ahmed Vandi, 17 Rodney Michael, 18 Benevolence Kargbo, 19 Ballie Kamara, 20 Ibrahim Kamara.
Head of the delegation – Saddick Deen Nyarkoh
SLFA – Abu Bakarr Kamara
Head Coach – Ken Tabi
Asst Coach – Raymond Lewis
Team Doctor – Usif Kamara
Masseur – Philli Koi
Welfare Officer Abu Mazolla Kargbo
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by FSL News | 26 Mar, 2018 | International, National Sport News Sierra Leone
Recognised Sierra Leone’s FA president, Isha Johansen, has written to World football governing body, Fifa to request an investigation into Iran and Sierra Leone international friendly.
The World-Cup bound side proved too strong when they dismantled a Sierra Leone side largely dominated by local stars 4-0 Saturday, March 17 in an international friendly at the Tehran’s Azadi Stadium.
A brace for Ali Gholizadeh and a goal apiece for Mohammad Reza Khanzadeh and Kaveh Rezaei helped the host to outclass their struggling visitors.
The match was planned by the present SLFA executive under the acting head, Brima Mazola Kamara (though not recognised by FIFA).
“I’d like to suggest the Match-Fixing Enquiry Committee looks into [how] this friendly was agreed upon and conducted by the SLFA,” Johansen wrote to Fifa.
“I was impersonated in this arrangement,” Kamara told BBC Sport in a statement. He says he did not initially see the correspondence.
The FFIRI, which funded Sierra Leone’s flights and accommodation, says it would have cancelled the friendly had it known of its alleged true nature. However, once the players had landed in Iran, the FFIRI felt there was little option but to play the game, BBC reported.
“Cancelling the match will definitely lead to an immense financial loss for our federation, not to mention that all preparations plans will be disrupted ahead of the World Cup,” FFIRI president Mehdi Taj wrote to Johansen two days before the friendly.
The latter says she allowed the game to go ahead in order to preserve “long-term future relations” with Iran but she has had serious reservations since.
“I am gravely concerned by recent events,” added Johansen in her letter, which was copied to Fifa general secretary Fatma Samoura.
“My fear is that activities may have already taken place unknowingly to me for which I may one day [have] to account for.”
Sierra Leone football is presently facing an investigation into match-fixing, over a World Cup qualifier between Sierra Leone and South Africa in June 2008, which ended goalless.
Johansen, who is also under investigation, now wants the Iran game to be added to the matches being investigated by this Match Fixing Enquiry Committee.
It could be recalled that on October 2017, Isha Johansen and Kamara were both ordered by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) to step aside following charges of abuse of office and pilfering of public funds. The matter is ongoing.
In spite of the above, Fifa says they recognize the Johansen leadership until Integrity checks and elections are conducted.
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by FSL News | 17 Mar, 2018 | International, National Sport News Sierra Leone, Video & News
Iran proved too strong as they dismantled a Sierra Leone side largely dominated by local stars 4-0 on Saturday in an international friendly at the Tehran’s Azadi Stadium.
A brace for Ali Gholizadeh and a goal apiece for Mohammad Reza Khanzadeh and Kaveh Rezaei helped the host to outclass their struggling visitors.
Sierra Leone came close to their worst ever defeat to Mali 6–0 in Bamako, Mali; 17 June 2007.
Despite all the controversies surrounding the friendly, the contest was a success for the world cup-bound.
The groundwork was Iran’s first 2018 World Cup warm-up encounter and the first between the two countries.
Iran ranked 33rd in the world and Sierra Leone 98th.
Sierra Leone last victory was against Kenya in the opener of African Nations Cup 2019 qualifiers in Freetown
Iran are in Group B at the FIFA World Cup alongside Spain, Morocco and Portugal.
Carlos Queiroz’s men will open their Russia 2018 campaign with a match against Morocco at Saint Petersburg on June 15, before taking on Spain in Kazan on 20 June.
Iran- Sierra Leone Match Details
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Sierra Leone | Highlights -