AFCON 2021: Ghana Black Stars knocked out by Comoros

AFCON 2021: Ghana Black Stars knocked out by Comoros

Ghana have been knocked out of the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations after losing 3-2 to Comoros on Tuesday night.

The Black Stars needed to win the game to stand any chance of progression from Group C, but despite a late rally, fell to their second defeat of the tournament at the Roumde Adjia Stadium.

The match got off to a thrilling start as El Fardou Ben Mohamed made history for Comoros after just four minutes, scoring his nations first ever AFCON goal. 

Problems then worsened for Ghana when captain Andre Ayew was shown a straight red card after 25 minutes. Ayew dived in after a loose ball on Comoros keeper Salim Ben Boina, and following a VAR review, was sent off. 

After the interval, Ahmed Mogni’s sensational solo effort doubled the lead for Comoros who looked to be in the driving seat with half an hour to play.

Despite playing with 10 men, Partey’s side went on to produce some of their best football of the tournament, scoring twice in eight minutes to level the game.

First, Richmond Boakye headed home from a corner to give Ghana hope. Then, Partey flicked on towards Alexander Djiku inside the box who bundled home with 13 minutes to play.

Any hopes of a dramatic victory for Ghana were quickly snubbed though as Mongi scored his second of the game in the 85th minute, turning the ball home from close range to secure a famous win for Comoros. 

CAF – African Football News – Follow us on Twitter @football_sierra On Facebook & Instagram: Football Sierra Leone in Douala, Cameroon.

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Kamara second youngest ever to score Afcon goal for Sierra Leone

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Striker Musa Noah Kamara wrote his name into the continental history books as the second-youngest ever to score in the African Cup of Nations for Sierra Leone at age 21 after Mohamed Kallon South Africa 1996.

Kamara made a brilliant start to life in his first continental showpiece with a fantastic effort to level the Sierra Leone scoreline against Ivory Coast on Sunday at the Japoma Stadium.

He calmly slotted home with his left foot on the top left-hand corner in the 55th minute of play, restoring parity for the Leone Stars after the team had gone 1-0 down to Cote D’ivoire from a twenty-five minute 1st half Sebastian Hallier finish. 

“It feels good scoring the first goal for my country in this year’s AFCON after 25 years. A dream come true, and all this wouldn’t have been possible without the support of my fans”, Kamara told Journalist in the media mix zone tribune.

“My fans are my heroes. They deserve the accolade, they are the ones who stood firm and requested my inclusion. I was always looking for the opportunity to pay them back with a goal, and thank God I did not disappoint”. 

Kamara is the top scorer in the Sierra Leone top-tier football league with nine goals and will be hoping to continue helping the team against Equatorial Guinea on Thursday.

Ahead of the group final matches on Thursday, Cote d’Ivoire on top with four points, Equatorial Guinea three points, Sierra Leone on two points and Algeria on a single point.

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

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Sierra Leone must win to be sure of Afcon last 16

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Best case scenario of reaching this year’s African Cup of Nations last sixteen for the first time in their history, the Leone Stars must beat Equatorial Guinea. The kickoff is at 16 hrs at the Limbe Omnisport Stadium.

A game that is expected to be a cracker between the West Africans and counterpart Equatorial Guinea, who ended Algeria’s 35-match unbeaten run on Sunday at the Japoma Stadium through Esteban Fernandez only goal and set up a cracker against Sierra Leone.

The twist in this group will be a win for defending champions Algeria over Ivory Coast at the Japoma stadium and a draw between Equatorial Guinea and Sierra Leone, which means the Leone Stars will end bottom with three points from three draws.

The two nations will face each other for the sixth time in their history with Sierra Leone having a better head to head advantage. However, Nzalang Nacional has shown character just like Thursday’s opponent. 

Sierra Leone is still unbeaten after their impressive display against Algeria, and they showed strong character against the Ivory Coast to rally a 2-2 draw.

The team moved to Limbe in the southwest region of Cameroon ahead of their last group match against Equatorial Guinea in the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations.

Meanwhile, the players and the technical team departed the Best Western Plus hotel in Douala at around midday on Monday and have arrived safely in Buea, the capital of the southwest region.

The team is lodged at the Parliamentarian flats hotel, about a 25-minute drive from the Omnisport Stadium in Limbe.

Sierra Leone with two points from two games, while the Ivorians top the group with four points to their name.

However, the Elephants must avoid defeat against defending champions Algeria on Thursday (16:00 GMT).

CAF Limbé stadium

About Limbé stadium: Three tournaments in five years

Perched high up some eight kilometres from the city centre, the 20,000-seat stadium built in 2014 offers a breathtaking view of the nearby Atlantic Ocean. It is a pretty and modern enclosure, equipped with an athletics track, a natural grass playing area, access roads adapted for disabled people, state-of-the-art press facilities and two adjoining grounds for training and parking.

Having been the first of the stadiums planned in the Cameroon National Sports Infrastructure Development Program to be built, the Limbé stadium has already hosted several international matches, including official matches of the Indomitable Lions. The stadium hosted the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in 2016, CHAN at the beginning of 2021, and will now host its third major tournament in less than five years.

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

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Equatorial Guinea ended Algeria’s 35-match unbeaten run on Sunday at the Japoma Stadium through Esteban Fernandez only goal and set up a cracker against Sierra Leone.

Fernandez guided his effort past Rais Mbolhi to beat the defending champions, and in the process, stop their impressive unbeaten run.

As a result, the holders must win against the Ivory Coast in their final Group E match to progress to the last sixteen of the continental showpiece.

The Nzalang Nacional came into the match following their narrow defeat to Cote d’Ivoire, and they battle with the highly fancied Algerians.

Goalkeeper Owono Ngua had to be at his best to keep out the Desert Foxes who brought in Slimani and Brahimi as they look to rescue their unbeaten run.

The Desert Foxes came into the match on the back of their goalless stalemate against Sierra Leone in the first match.

A positive result for the Nzalang Nacional ahead of their decider against Sierra Leone, who played to a 2-2 draw against the Ivory Coast earlier on Sunday.

Sierra Leone with two points from two games, while the Ivorians top the group with four points to their name.

However, the Elephants must avoid defeat against defending champions Algeria on Thursday (16:00 GMT).

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

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AFCON: Kamara’s rescue Sierra Leone against Ivory Coast

AFCON: Kamara’s rescue Sierra Leone against Ivory Coast

Bo Rangers striker Musa Noah Kamara and Alhaji Kamara scored their first African Cup of Nations goals for Sierra Leone in the 2-2 draw against Ivory Coast at the Japoma Stadium in Douala.

Sierra Leone started very slow as their counterpart Ivory Coast took the lead through Ajax striker Sébastien Haller in the 25-minutes before Musa Kamara’s 55th-minute leveller.

The Les Elephant wasted several chances before Nicolas Pépé, who was named Man of the Match, doubled the scoreline.

A last-gasp equaliser from another Kamara, Randers striker Alhaji Kamara collected a pass from former England International Steven Caulker to slot in as Sierra leone draws parity. 

Both sides played their part in an enthralling match, which saw Ivory Coast miss an early penalty but then lead twice before Sierra Leone hit back.

Keeper Mohamed Kamara, who won the opener Man of the Match, was at his best today after saving Ivory Coast first penalty. After 10 minutes, the Elephants of Cote d’Ivoire earned a penalty after Wilfried Zaha was knocked down in the box by defender Osma Konate. But the Sierra Leone goalkeeper was up to the task when he reacted well to stop Franck Yannick Kessie’s spot-kick placed in the bottom right corner.

Experienced Kei Kamara made a vital goal-line clearance which could have changed the storyline for Sierra Leone.

Tention was mounting at the end when Cote d’Ivoire, in added time, brought in their skipper Serge Aurier, who was forced to go in goal after goalkeeper Sangare was carried off injured following his mistake.

Sierra Leone with two points from two games, while the Ivorians top the group with four points to their name.

However, the Elephants have a tough mountain to climb against defending champions Algeria on Thursday (16:00 GMT).

What they said

Nicolas Pépé (Cote d’Ivoire): TotalEnergies Man of the Match

” It’s good to have had this trophy but I would have preferred to have the three points of victory to ensure our qualification in the second round this evening. Now we have to go and keep working to make a big game against a big team from Algeria. We have to put out a big performance because the objective is to finish first in the group.

John Keister, Sierra Leone coach:

“Honestly, I wouldn’t have believed it if someone had told me that we would have two points against these great teams of Algeria and Cote d’Ivoire. Now we have managed to do it, we must continue to work to succeed in our participation in this competition, 25 years later, it is not a question of changing our objective along the way, above all we have a great match to deliver against Equatorial Guinea, after that we will advise, the work must continue especially at the level of the defensive organization, we have conceded far too many chances this evening (Sunday evening) unlike our match against Algeria.

Patrick Beaumelle, Cote d’Ivoire coach:

“Our dressing room remained silent, heads are low, we just gave two points, as a gift. What can be done in terms of organization on this second goal, I still do not understand, what happened, I continue to search, it is also the charm of the Africa Cup of Nations. On the other hand, we must continue to work to improve our efficiency with 18 chances, it was enough to score the 30 per cent to take cover.”

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

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Ambassador Mohamed Kallon optimistic ahead of Ivory Coast tie

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Former Sierra Leone skipper and Cup of Nations ambassador Mohamed Kallon is optimistic that the Leone Stars will produce the result needed to make the round of sixteen.

A win for Sierra Leone will almost ensure their place in the tournament round of sixteen for the first time in history. Sierra Leone’s only Cup of Nations victory was a 2-1 win over Burkina-Faso at the Free State StadiumBloemfontein, South Africa 1996. John Gbassay Sessay  11′ and Mohamed Kallon  89′ accounted for the goals.

Kallon is aware that resilient Leone Stars must put in a top-notch performance like the Algeria game to end the Les Éléphants of Ivory Coast unbeaten run against Sierra Leone.

The kickoff at the 50,000-capacity all-seater Japoma Stadium is at 16 MGT + 1 on Sunday in the Japoma locality in Douala.

Speaking to Football Sierra Leone cameras, he said, “We are here to ensure the team is well prepared for top matches, and I am optimistic that this team has the potential to progress to the round of sixteen.”

The former Monaco striker, who is in Douala in the capacity as Afcon ambassador to Leone Stars, reiterated that the team is well balanced.

“90% per cent of the players are young, which means they’re going to serve the national team for a long time. As we all noticed from their first match against Algeria, they played as if they played in the tournament before with confidence and composure, and i think if we have to work with the strength of the team, that will allow us to hurt any team.”

He also acknowledged the importance of the support-technical team appointed by the SLFA. The likes of Lamin Conteh, Lamin Bangura, his elder brother Keimokai Kallon.

“I was pleased with the appointment of the support team, the Lamin Bangura, Keimokai Kallon and Lamin Conteh to share their experience and to help condense the pressure on the team.”

Kallon recalled playing against Burkina Faso noted that this team played well as compared to their triumph at the Bloemfontein, South Africa 1996.

“If you go back to my time, our first performance against Burkina-Faso, you cannot compare to this performance against Algeria. The lads played well, well organised, well-disciplined. 

Those days, things were a little bit different. This current team, based on the exposure of the players, and on what they have shown so far looking at the table and statistics, if we can have a point or our prime objective, game day objective is to win against Ivory Coast, which is possible because I saw their team. If we can take the game to Ivory Coast, we can get something out of this game.”

Here is what coach John Keister had to say in Saturday’s briefings

“I think we very comfortable around which way we wanted to go. I think we can get something out of the Ivory Coast game. Ivory Coast is not going to be any different. Football is on the day, and that is the motivation, guys.”

“It’s going to be a difficult game, but If we want to get better as a coach as a footballing nation, we have to play against the better teams, and that is how we have to test ourselves and see where we are, as a nation.”

Keister was pleased with how former International Steven Can have adapted quickly into his squad. 

He emphasised that records are meant to be broken when responding to a question of Ivory Coast unbeaten run against Sierra Leone.

When asked about any injury concerns, Keister noted, they will come out with injuries news, if any, at the right time. It is very difficult when you access players. We have a match tomorrow – we have to give ourselves time. We are very mindful.

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

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