by FSL News | 13 Oct, 2018 | African News
Odion Ighalo scored his first Super Eagles hat-trick as Nigeria walloped Libya 4-0 in their 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in Uyo on Saturday.
Goals from Changchun Yatai striker in the 4th, 58th and 69th respectively gave Nigeria a convincing lead.
Samuel Kalu netted a fourth for the Nigerians in the 90th minute, curling home an unstoppable right-footed shot from the edge of the area to cap a perfect day for the Super Eagles.
As a result, Nigeria now second in Group E with six points from three matches, a point behind new leaders South Africa, who earlier thrashed Seychelles 6-0.
Both Nigeria and Libya will do battle again in the reverse fixture in Sfax, Tunisia, on Tuesday.
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by FSL News | 13 Oct, 2018 | African News
A brace for Emmanuel Okwi ensures Uganda go top of Group L with a 3-0 win over Lesotho in their 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier at the Mandela National Stadium in Kampala on Saturday.
Impressively, the home team opened the scoring in the 11th minute thanks to a strike from Simba attacker Emmanuel Okwi to send the fans into ecstasy.
Farouk Miya doubled their lead from the penalty spot in the 27th before Okwi completed a sounding victory for the host late on in the second half.
The Crocodiles were poor as they offered very little in attack throughout the duration of the contest.
Lesotho host Uganda next week Tuesday in the return fixture of the 2019 Afcon qualifier.
Meanwhile, A Ricardo Gomes brace helped Cape Verde beat Tanzania 3-0 at home on Saturday.
Cape Verb after saturday’s win are three points adrift off Uganda in Group L.
Another win for the Ugandans will surely mean they are two steps closer in their bid to reach Cameroon 2019.
Elsewhere, South Africa thrashed Seychelles 6-0 on Saturday in their 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in Johannesburg.
The impressive victory means they achieved their biggest victory.
Their previous biggest win was when they walloped Guatemala 5-0 during a friendly ahead of 2010 World Cup.
Saturday’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifying results/Matches
Group E: South Africa 6-0 Seychelles
Group L: Uganda 3-0 Lesotho
Group A: Equatorial Guinea 0-1 Madagascar
Group K: Mozambique 1-2 Namibia
Group E: Nigeria 4-1 Libya
Group G: DR Congo v Zimbabwe
Group I: Burkina Faso v Botswana
Group J: Tunisia v Niger
Group A: Senegal v Sudan
Group B: Morocco v Comoros
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by FSL News | 13 Oct, 2018 | African News
Egypt striker Mohamed Salah scored a stunning goal as the Pharaohs beat eSwatini 4-1 in their 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in Cairo on Friday.
The Liverpool striker took a corner-kick on the stroke of half-time and curled it directly into the net to put the Pharaohs 4-0 up going into the break.
As a result, the victory moves Egypt level on points with Tunisia in Group J.
Earlier goals from Ahmed Elmohamady, Amr Warda, Mahmoud Trezeguet and Mohamed Salah, in the seventh, 10th, 29th minutes respectively had given Egypt a comfortable lead.
Sihlangu Semnikati, though, never stopped fighting and netted an 84th-minute consolation through Sibonginkosi Gamedze for a timely boost ahead of the reverse fixture in Manzini on Tuesday.
Egypt has now netted 10 goals in their last two games.
Elsewhere, Manchester United’s beleaguered defender Eric Bailly fared better in an Ivory Coast top, helping the Elephants beat the Central African Republic 4-0 to revive their Group H campaign.
Aston Villa’s Jonathan Kodjia put Ivory Coast ahead before Bailly made it 2-nil. Cheick Doukoure and Maxwell Cornet added to the scoreline to give Ivory Coast a much-needed victory.
They are now second in the group behind Guinea who was 2-0 winners over Rwanda courtesy of a first-half Francois Kamano penalty and a goal from Ibrahima Cisse.
African champions Cameroon edged past Malawi 1-0 to earn Dutch coach Clarence Seedorf his first win in charge of the Indomitable Lions.
See Friday’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifying results:
Grp B: Cameroon 1-0 Malawi – Grp I: Angola 4-1 Mauritania
Grp C: Gabon 3-0 South Sudan – Grp H: Guinea 2-0 Rwanda
Grp L: Cape Verde 3-0 Tanzania – Grp H: Ivory Coast 4-0 CAR
Grp J: Egypt 4-1 eSwatini- Grp D: Togo 1-1 Gambia
Grp C: Mali 0-0 Burundi – Grp D: Algeria 2-0 Benin
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by FSL News | 12 Oct, 2018 | Players Abroad News
Veteran Sierra Leone International, John Trye, is hoping the depth of talent and experience in the Scarborough SC squad can help them lift the Canadian soccer league title on Saturday.
Trye’s Scarborough will take on FC Vorkuta in the overall Canadian first league final at the Centennial Park on Saturday, October 13.
The 33-year-old goalie has been instrumental this season in Kiril Dimitrov’s first team.
“I am really excited and looking forward to playing in the final on Saturday, winning the league title will mean everything and a dream come true,” Trye told FSL
“A victory for us will mean I get to lift the first title in my career and I guess is not a bad way to end the season.”
The former ASA Charge man added, “I know we have many talented players. However, we have to play well throughout the match and take our chances if we are to be champions.”
An Aleksander Stojiljkovic goal gave Scarborough a 2-1 win over FC Ukraine United in last week’s the semi-final play-offs.
Trye, who joined the club 2016 was also part of the Green and Black side that lost last year’s finals to York Region Shooters 5-4 on penalties.
The 2016 season marked the first time Scarborough qualified for the postseason by finishing third and posting the third-best defensive record.
Their playoff run was cut short after a 3-0 defeat to Hamilton City SC.
Meanwhile, Tyre was the goalie for Sierra Leone when they lost to DR Congo 3-1 in their final Group D, African Cup of Nations qualifying match at the Stade Tata Raphaël in November 2014.
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by FSL News | 10 Oct, 2018 | Players Abroad News
Egypt-based midfielder Abdul Sama Mannah says he’s looking forward to Aluminium SC round of 32 Cup tie against Smouha on Thursday.
The tie will be played at the 86,000 seater Borg El-Arab Stadium in Cairo.
Last season Smouha, was the fifth best team in Egypt ended up 10 points adrift of Zamalek.
Mannah, 25, who signed for Aluminium SC in July, last year is eager to impress on the pitch.
“It’s going to be a difficult game but I am ready and looking forward to facing one of the biggest games in my career.”
“Smouha Sporting Club is one of the best clubs in Egypt,” Mannah told FSL.
“I’m excited because if we get through then there’s a possibility of getting a big tie in the next round so there is the added motivation of that, but we have to get the job done first.”
Mannah added, “To eliminate such big club like Smouha ii good for our confidence as a team and especially for our league matches.”
He has had spells with Mount Zion and Ghanaian side Medeamaa Sporting club before moving to Egypt.
Egypt Cup Round of 32 results and fixtures
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by FSL News | 10 Oct, 2018 | African News
The Harambee Stars of Kenya were held to a goalless draw by Ethiopia at the Bahir Dar National Stadium on Wednesday in their 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.
They face each other again in the fourth round of their 2019 Afcon qualifiers in Kenya on October 14.
The Wallias saw more of the ball early on but struggled to break down the Kenyan defence and consequently, they had to shoot from long range with very little effect.
Getaneh Kebede, who scored against Sierra Leone probably came closest to break the deadlock midway through the first half, but the Ethiopian attacker saw his long-range effort skim the wrong side of the post.
Kenya played well as the half went on and started creating some scoring opportunities of their own but like the home opposition, their shooting was woeful.
Their best chance fell to Victor Wanyama five minutes before the break, but the Kenyan defensive midfielder saw his rather 20-yard timid shot well-saved by the keeper.
The second half saw Ethiopia pushing more players forward, but similar to the first half they were thwarted by a well-organised Kenyan defence.
In the end, neither team could find a goal as the match ended 0-0.
Meanwhile, Sierra Leone’s African Nations Cup qualifier against Ghana was called off after the country’s FA failed to get a FIFA suspension lifted.
Confederation of African Football (CAF) has yet to comment on whether Ghana will be awarded a win for Thursday’s match or if Sierra Leone will be allowed to continue in the Nations Cup qualifying competition if and when they are reinstated by FIFA.
Squads
Ethiopia: Asefa, Mohamed, Tamene, Tesfaye, Ahmed, Panom, Bekele, Dawa (Yalew 87’), Demte (Okwury 66’), Mesfen (Maleko 82’), Kebede.
Kenya: Matasi, Mohammed, M Onyango, Khamis (O Otieno 55’), Omondi (Athuman 46’), Wanyama, Odhiambo, Otieno, Kahata (Were 74’), Olunga, Ochieng.
Afcon 2019 Group F standings
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Sierra Leone | Highlights -