by FSL News | 3 Jul, 2017 | International, National Sport News Sierra Leone
The Chairman of the Western Area Football Association (WAFA) who doubles as an executive committee member of SLFA, Foday Turay, believes Sierra Leone lacks the structure for a successful Women’s National League.
The League Started at a regional level a few weeks ago under the supervision of the SLFA, twelve teams are expected to qualify for the final phase and already the Southern region has completed their league.
The two finalists will represent the South, Football Sierra Leone understands, but Turay is adamant that the women’s game needs the appropriate structure if it’s to be developed.
“We lack the structure at the moment with no proper calendar and because of all these shortfalls, we can’t attract sponsors, Turay told the BBC Sport
“We can only sustain the league and save the women’s game from a total collapse if there is proper planning which is lacking at the moment,” Turay added.
However, despite Turay’s concerns over the women’s game, is important to note that the Sierra Leone national female team will take part in qualifiers of the 2018 U-20 Female World Cup and they will face Libya in a two-legged tie in the preliminary round.
The Sierra Princess will have to travel to Libya for the first between 21, 22 or 23 July 2017 before hosting them on the weekend of 4, 5 or 6 August 2017 in Freetown.
Sierra Leone are among the six nations who will battle it out for the first round qualifying places.
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by FSL News | 28 Jun, 2017 | International, National Sport News Sierra Leone
Minister of Sports, Ahmed Khanou (Pictured) has on Tuesday, June 27, 2017, presented a cheque of Le 1,000,000 (One Million Leones) as his support towards the Sports Writers Association of Sierra Leone (SWASAL) International World Sports Journalists Day (WSJD) celebration.
SWASAL will join other colleagues around the World to celebrate the World Sports Journalists Day on July 2, 2017, and ahead of this year’s event, the Sports Minister has already pledged to be part of the celebration and further presented the One Million Leones cheque as his own support towards the day celebration.
“This is a cheque of Le 1,000,000 as my support toward the World Sports Journalists Day celebration this year. Since I came in as Minister, I have always pledged to work with SWASAL and will continue to work with the Association,” Ahmed Khanou said.
Receiving the cheque on behalf of the SWASAL Football Organising Committee, Sorie Ibrahim Sesay, chairman of the committee thanked the Minister for his kind gesture and pledged the money will be utilised for its intended purpose. He said: “We want to say thanks to you and look forward to furthering contributions.”
SWASAL will mark this year’s celebration with a fund-raising football tournament which will involve two communities; Fulah Town Community and Kroo Bay Community as they will battle for the prestigious ‘Rodney Michael Trophy’.
The early kick-off of the day will see the Sports Journalists taking on Sports Administrator side which will be captained by the Sports Minister.
The International Day of the Sports Journalists Day is a global professional observance on July 2. It was established by the International Sports Press Association (AIPS) in 1994 to mark the 70th anniversary of its foundation.
It was also aimed at commemorating the creation of AIPS and to celebrate the achievements of members of the sporting media and also to encouraging sports journalists to strive for excellence in their work and to set an example to the world – not only to the world of sport but to the world at large.
SWASAL Media
by FSL News | 24 Jun, 2017 | International, National Sport News Sierra Leone
Fresh from their 2-1 victory over Kenya in the African Nations Cup qualifier in Freetown on June 10, the Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA) and Sports Ministry are now focusing their attention to the African Nations Championship qualifiers, CHAN.
Sierra Leone will start its quest to reach Kenya 2018 when they take on the Teranga Lions of Senegal in the first leg qualifiers on the weekend of 14-16 July before travelling to Dakar for the return fixture the following week.
And according to the Team Manager, Christian Dauda, (pictured), both bodies are committed to ensuring that the country excels in next month’s doubleheader.
“I can confirm to you that SLFA and the Sports Ministry are working harder to help the head coach Abubakar Tostao Kamara and the rest of the technical excel against Senegal next month,” Dauda said and admitted that the Senegal tie is going to be another tough outing in Freetown but upbeat the boys can pull through another good result.
“Is going to be a tough game against Senegal as always in African Football, no match is an easy game. But, I have to trust the technical department to assemble the best of our home talents,” he said.
The passionate Team Manager also commends the senior team for their notable victory over Kenya. “I want to appreciate the senior squad after a job was well done over the Kenyans, Dauda added.
“Defeating the Harambee Stars was the only way forward to kick-start our Cameroon 2019 qualifying campaign. However, the SLFA and the Government have set a new focus on the forthcoming continental event,” He told footballsierraleone.net.
The CHAN – is a tournament for locally-based African players featuring in their own country’s domestic leagues – will be staged in Kenya from 12 January to 4 February 2018.
The winner of the double-legged tie will face the winners of the Guinea-Bissau and Guinea clash in the second round with the first leg billed to take place between 11 and 13 August, and those of the return leg the following weekend.
Kenya 2018 (also referred to as CHAN 2018) will be the 5th edition of the African Nations Championship.
Sierra Leone was knocked-out from the 2016 tournament in the preliminary round by Mauritania thanks to a 4-1 aggregate win. The Mauritanians won the first leg 2-1 at the Nouakchott Stadium and six days later they registered a 2-0 victory at the same venue.
The home-based Leone Stars chose to host their home leg in Nouakchott because Sierra Leone was unable to host international games due to the Ebola outbreak in the country which forced an international ban on all football and sporting activities in the country then.
In 2014, Sierra Leone was eliminated from the qualifiers in their own backyard by Guinea. The Guineans forced Sierra Leone to a 1-1 draw at the National Stadium in Freetown as the first leg in Conakry ended in a goalless draw.
Senegal, on the other hand, has participated in the final phases of CHAN in 2009, 2011, 2014 and 2016. In 2014, they were eliminated by Mauritania (1-0 and 0-2) and in 2016; it was the Guineans who pushed them away.
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by FSL News | 23 Jun, 2017 | International, National Sport News Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone skipper and FC Zurich defender Umaru Bangura (Pictured with Sports Minister Ahmed Khanou) believes Leone Stars have enough quality to reach the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon.
Bangura, 29, is calling on the football authorities to get their act right for upcoming matches in Group F.
Since 1996 in South Africa, Leone Stars have not qualified for the Nations Cup. That was 21 years ago, however, the skipper is upbeat they will bounce back in 2019.
Sierra Leone in Group F together with Ghana, Kenya and Ethiopia and sit second behind Ghana who thrashed Ethiopia to go top of the group after the opening qualifying matches.
Bangura, scored one of Sierra Leone’s goals as they overcome Kenya 2-1 in Freetown on June 10 in their most recent qualifier.
“I’m confident that with good preparation we’ll qualify for the AFCON finals,” Bangura told the BBC.
“We don’t want any late preparations.
“We want players to be available at the right time for early training and play friendly matches against top-class African teams.
“I’m calling on the Sierra Leone FA and sports ministry to prepare us well for the remaining fixtures.”
In August 2016, Bangura signed a three years contract with Swiss second-tier side FC Zürich, since then he has been a pivotal figure in the Zurich club automatic promotion back to the Swiss top flight.
Bangura scored his first and only league goal in Zurich 5-0 thumping of Wohlen at the Niedermatten Stadium on Sunday 2 October 2016.
He will be playing in the Swiss top flight next season after helping the Zurich city club to automatic promotion.
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by FSL News | 19 Jun, 2017 | International, National Sport News Sierra Leone
President Ernest Bai Koroma on Saturday gave his blessing for a civic funeral for former Leone Stars striker and Sierra Leone football legend (pictured), the late Kama Dumbuya aka King Kama the hunter.
The former End Lions, Mighty Blackpool and Barma FC striker passed away last Friday in Freetown, after a short illness and as a mark of respect for his legendary work during his playing days in the 1960s and 70s, President Koroma believes the former goal puncher must be given the highest respect.
Furthermore, the President also contributed Le 10,000,000 towards the late striker funeral, while other members of the football family including the Sports Minister, Ahmed Khanou, his deputy, Al-Sankoh Conteh, the Football Association, football stakeholder all did a similar contribution.
The late goal king was known during his young days as the greatest forward in Sierra Leone football history. One of his memorable matches came against Nigeria- a match he was introduced from the substitute bench in the second half.
King Kam first possession of the ball came at his chest in which he beat his marker Chukwu, and he wasted no time to connect the ball as it bounced off the ground for a beautiful GOAL!!!. The strike forced hundreds of jubilating supporters to invade the pitch and carried him on their shoulders off the stadium dancing with the notion that the game was over, King Kama had scored.
The late man used to cause the downfall of West African nations like Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal at the old Kingdom Association Grounds and the then Recreation Grounds, Brookfields. He scored memorable goals against all of them.
By Sahr Morris Jnr- Follow the Writer @morrisjr88
by FSL News | 16 Jun, 2017 | International, National Sport News Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone national female team will face Libya in a two-legged tie in the preliminary round of the African qualifiers for the 2018 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in France.
Sierra Leone, Libya, Burundi, Djibouti, Botswana and Kenya are among the six nations who will battle it out for the three qualifying spots from the preliminary round to the first round.
The Sierra Princess will have to travel to Libya for the first between 21, 22 or 23 July 2017 before hosting them on the weekend of 4, 5 or 6 August 2017 in Freetown.
A successful campaign against the Libyans will see Sierra Leone progress to the First Round and face the awaiting Tunisians who received a bye from the preliminary round.
Sierra Leone will again be on the road to Tunis for the first leg which has been scheduled for 15, 16, or 17 September 2017 while the return fixture is set for 29, 30 September or 1st October 2017.
To finally make it to France, the Sierra Leone team must get passed Tunisia in round one, the winner between Guinea and Cameroun in round two and either the winner between Ethiopia/Kenya and Algeria/Ghana.
A total of nineteen (19) teams has been drawn by the African football governing body, CAF to battle it for the two slots to represent the continent at the final tournament in France 2018. The two teams will be known at the weekend of 26-28 January 2018.
Sierra Leone had to withdraw from the 2016 World Cup qualifiers against Liberian due to the inability to secure a venue and the lack of funds as stated by the Football Association official then.
The team was walloped 16-0 over two legs by Nigeria in the 2014 World Cup qualifiers.
Preliminary rounds: The draw was announced by the CAF on 15 June 2017
First leg 21–23 July 2017 – Second leg 4–6 August 2017
Burundi v Botswana
Djibouti v Kenya
Libya v Sierra Leone
The Falconets of Nigeria will face Tanzania in the first round on 15-17, September 2017.
Nigeria vs Tanzania
Algeria vs Ghana
Guinea vs Cameroon
South Africa vs Namibia
Morocco vs Senegal
Burundi/Djibouti vs Rwanda
Tunisia vs Libya/ Sierra Leone
Ethiopia vs Botswana/ Kenya
By Sahr Morris Jr. Follow the Writer @morrisjr88
Sierra Leone | Highlights -Â