by FSL News | 25 Oct, 2018 | Players Abroad News
Sierra Leone midfielder Khalifa Jabbie named to the Lebanese League team of the week
Sierra Leone international Khalifa Jabbie has been named to the Lebanese Premier League Team of the Week for Week 4.
Jabbie, 25, who recently signed for Racing Beirut make the LPL TOTW for the first time after four top-flight appearances.
Although they lost their last league home contest to Al-Ansar 1-0, Jabbie has been a good prospect for Coach Roda Antar’s side.
The White Castle ace is enjoying his time after long absence off the field, having started their last four games thus far.
The young and experienced midfielder moved in 2011 from his home club FC Kallon to Europe, joining Norwegian side Fredrikstad FK.
At 6ft 3, Sierra Leone-born midfielder made his international debut in March 2011.
The one-time captain of the Sierra Leone Under-20 national known as the Shooting Stars has recently won major Moldovan silverwares the Championship and Moldavian Cup since 2009.
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by FSL News | 25 Oct, 2018 | Players Abroad News
Michael Lahoud’s United Soccer League side, FC Cincinnati and New York Red Bulls II will battle it out in the 2018 Eastern Conference Semi-finals at Nippert Stadium on Saturday.
Lahoud, 32, who joined Cincinnati on April 18, 2018, has been a pivotal figure in the team playing over 23 games this season.
They advanced past the conference quarterfinals for the first time in their history with a 6-5 victory in a penalty shootout last Saturday against Nashville SC after a 1-1 full-time scoreline.
The result extended FCC’s undefeated streak to 24 games in league play, a run that began with a 2-1 victory against the Red Bulls II on June 2 when Cincinnati rallied to win at Red Bull Arena.
The Red Bulls II, also looking to advance to the conference final for a third consecutive season as it squares off with the 2018 USL Regular Season champion.
The tie is expected to kick-off 4 pm ET and can be watched live on ESPN+ in the United States and YouTube internationally and followed live via the USL Match Centre.
FCC also recorded a 2-1 victory against New York at Nippert Stadium on July 21, although the Red Bulls II’s Tom Barlow almost found a stoppage-time equalizer for the visitors in that contest as he hit the crossbar with a late chance.
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by FSL News | 25 Oct, 2018 | International, National Sport News Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone at #115 in FIFA/Coca-Cola World latest ranking
Sierra Leone have moved further down to 115th position from 114th in the latest FIFA World Rankings released on Thursday 25 October.
The national men’s soccer side suffered a 1-0 defeat in Ethiopia on September 9 at the Hawassa Stadium in the 2019 African Cup of Nations qualifier.
Their African Nations Cup qualifiers against Ghana was called off after the country’s FA failed to get a FIFA suspension lifted.
Following a suspension from the world governing body Fifa, the country’s hope of reaching Cameroon AFCON 2019 is dimming.
FIFA confirmed last week that Sierra Leone will remain suspended until the alleged corruption trial against Isha Johansen and Chris Kamara concluded.
Meanwhile, Madagascar, who earlier this month qualified for their first African Nations Cup finals, climbed into the top 100 for the first time since 2002. They were ranked 100th.
Tunisia, 22nd, ranked the highest in Africa and Iran, 30th, the top Asian side.
Sierra Leone now ranked the 29th best team on the continent.
Africa’s Top 10 on October’s Fifa rankings (global position and movement in brackets):
- Tunisia (22, +1) 2. Senegal (25, 0) 3. Nigeria (44, +4) 4. DR Congo (46, -6) 5. Morocco (47, -2) 6. Cameroon (51, -1) 7. Ghana (52, -1) 8. Burkina Faso (57, -1) 9. Egypt (58, +6) 10. Ivory Coast (64, +2)
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by FSL News | 25 Oct, 2018 | African News
DR Congo’s top-flight side AS Vita impressively beat Egyptian club Al Masry 4-0 in Kinshasa in the second leg of the Confederation Cup semi-final on Wednesday.
The victory means that they will face Raja Casablanca in the two-leg final next month.
Raja Casablanca beat visiting Nigerian club Enyimba 2-1 on Wednesday to complete a 3-1 aggregate victory.
As a result, they will host the first leg of the final on 25 November with the return match a week later in Kinshasa.
Emomo Eddy Ngoyi scored two first-half goals for AS Vita Club, one with his head and one with his left foot, to give the hosts a 2-0 half-time advantage.
The Egyptian side was unhappy with the officiating in the second half with the coach and former international Hossam Hassan going onto the pitch to argue with referee Bernard Camille from Seychelles.
The Masry players walked off the pitch in the 75th minute when they believed Jean-Marc Makusu’s goal was offside, but replays showed the strike was legitimate.
Play resumed after five minutes with Mukoko Batezadio completing the rout in stoppage time.
In Casablanca, Zakaria Hadraf put Raja ahead on the stroke of half-time to give them a 2-0 aggregate lead.
Isiaka Oladuntoye’s own goal with two minutes left to play sealed the win for the Moroccans before Eniymba scored a late consolation with a sensational strike by Abdulrahman Bashir.
The two finalists met in the group stage of the Confederation Cup with the Congolese side getting the upper hand in the two matches.
AS Vita Club earned a goalless draw in Morocco and then won 2-0 at home in Kinshasa.
Raja defender Abderahim Chakir felt his side deserved the victory.
“Now we will get prepared well for Vita Club since we have already met in the group stage and we know their positive and negative points,” he said.
The club’s Spanish coach Juan Carlos Garrido admitted it had not been an easy semi-final.
“We are so happy to qualify for the final after a tough game,” he said.
“We played against a very good Nigerian team. We worked hard to not let them impose their style of play.”
“It is too early to speak about the next match against AS Vita Club. Let’s just enjoy the moment of our qualification first.”
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by FSL News | 23 Oct, 2018 | African News
Nigeria defender Kenneth Omeruo says things are looking up after a work permit hitch delayed his start to life in La Liga on loan to Leganes, BBC reports.
The 25-year-old joined the Spanish side in August, his seventh loan move away from the English Premier League club Chelsea since he joined them in 2012.
The Super Eagle was substituted in the 69th minute on his first League start due to injury but insists that will not dampen his joy of playing in one of the best leagues in the world.
“It was a frustrating start due to my work permit issue, but after playing in two big La Liga games I must say things are finally looking up,” Omeruo told BBC Sport.
“I’ve been playing away from England in Turkey for a while and every time I always craved for a visible league where people can watch me.
“Luckily, after the World Cup where I had two good games, I got more options and I chose La Liga where everyone can watch me, and so far it’s been a perfect decision for me.”
Omeruo, who is yet to play a competitive game for Chelsea where he has a deal until 2020, spent a second spell at Turkish side Kasımpasa last season.
A 2013 Africa Cup of Nations winner with Nigeria, he has also been loaned to Dutch side ADO Den Haag, Middlesbrough in England for two seasons and another Turkish side Alanyaspor.
Back in 2017, he admitted he may have to leave Chelsea in his quest for first-team football on a regular basis.
He now concedes his dreams of playing in England’s top flight with the Blues could be over as he looks to continue in Spain and hopefully earn a permanent move to Leganes.
“Right now I’m fulfilling my dream of playing in La Liga, it’s amazing and different,” he added.
“Leganes have an option to sign me permanently and I would like to give everything to stay in the league.
“I’ve played in the English championship, I’ve gotten a feel of that but La Liga is very good.
“If I end up playing for Chelsea someday fine because it is one of the biggest teams in the world and they have the highest fan base in Nigeria.
“I would love to play for them, even if it’s just a game, but right now I am very happy with my life here in Spain.”
Omeruo can play at centre-back or right-back and is regarded as one of the continent’s best young defenders.
His 41 caps for the Super Eagles also include appearances at the Confederations Cup and the Africa Cup of Nations.
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by FSL News | 21 Oct, 2018 | Players Abroad News
Canadian top side Vancouver Whitecaps have failed in their bid to have Kei Kamara’s red card against Sporting Kansas last weekend rescinded.
Major League Soccer announced on Friday that an Independent Panel has denied Vancouver Whitecaps FC’s appeal to overturn striker Kei Kamara sending off.
The Sierra Leone attacker sees red for violent conduct during Vancouver’s 4-1 home defeat against Sporting Kansas City on October 17.
As a result, Kamara will miss today’s Whitecaps crucial MLS game against Los Angles but will return in Vancouver’s season finale against Portland Timbers on October 28 at BC Place.
The Independent Panel consists of one representative from the United States Soccer Federation, one representative from the Canadian Soccer Association, and one representative nominated by the Professional Referee Organization.
The striker has scored 14 goals this season for the Canadian top-flight side.
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