by FSL News | 29 Apr, 2018 | International, National Sport News Sierra Leone
WAFU U20: Liberia and Sierra Leone U20 captains at the Antoinette Tubman Stadium in Monrovia.
Rampant Liberia hammered Sierra Leone 5-1 on Saturday, 28 April 2018, at the Antoinette Tubman Stadium in Monrovia to reach this year’s WAFU U20 semi-finals.
Christopher Wreh’s young Lone Stars will now play Mali on Wednesday, May 2 at the SKD complex in Liberia.
Liberia’s President George Manneh Weah was among the guests at the Antoinette Tubman Stadium and the local Stars were full of motivation.
Unconvincingly Sierra Leone conceded 10 goals against Guinea Bissau, the Ivory Coast and Liberia and scored 4 goals from their Group A matches.
Liberia, who suffered a 3-0 defeat to the young Elephant of Cote d’Ivoire in the opening match on Tuesday, 24 April 2018, in Monrovia, beat Guinea Bissau 2-1 late on Thursday and thrashed Sierra Leone as they impressively finished 2nd behind Ivory Coast.
Musa Kebbeh scored a hat-trick followed by goals from Sheku Sheriff and Chauncey Freeman put the icing on the cake in a game the young Lone Star side dominated.
John T Kamara scored Sierra Leone’s only goal.
President Weah presented Musa Kebbeh with Man of the Match Award.
Elsewhere, Ivory Coast impressively was again at their best thrashing Guinea Bissau 4-0 in the Group A final match at the SKD Sports Complex.
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by FSL News | 28 Apr, 2018 | African News
The Junior Lone Star of Liberia
Host Liberia needs only to win against Sierra Leone in today’s West Africa Football Union (WAFU) Under-20 Group A decider for a spot in the semi-finals.
The match will now be played at the Antoinette Tubman Stadium on an artificial turf instead of the Samuel KD Stadium and Sierra Leone team have not been able to train as the change was unexpected by the organisers, Football Sierra Leone understands.
Liberia, who suffered a 3-0 defeat to the young Elephant of Cote d’Ivoire in the opening match on Tuesday, 24 April 2018, in Monrovia, beat Guinea Bissau 2-1 late on Thursday to set up this cracking decider.
Sierra Leone on the other hand in case of a draw will finish 2nd behind Ivory Coast and a potential date with Mali.
Sierra Leone’s Alusine Koroma and John Kamara under the supervision of their Cameroonian technician, Ken Tabi have both won Match of the Match Award consecutively against Guinea Bissau and Ivory Coast respectively.
Soccer fans are hoping both players will be at their best again today against Liberia, who will be in high spirit at home at the Antoinette Tubman Stadium kick-off 4 pm.
Sierra Leone soccer fans that have been following the team in Liberia are confident of a semi-final spot.
“I have watched both games against Guinea Bissau and Ivory Coast, despite the defeat to Ivory Coast, Shooting Stars have done well so far and they will not be a walkover. I am confident we are going to defeat Liberia,” said Alfred Sankoh a Sierra Leonean in Ghana.
“The team was reckless in the last ten minute against Ivory Coast, although they played well against Guinea Bissau. But the way they lost to the Ivorian was down lack of regular football in the country. You can see they lost all concentration and get thrashed.
“I still think they are capable and can qualify ahead of Liberia. Shooting Stars need much effort and to be more clinical in front of goal,” Sorie Barrie said.
John Coker in the US added, “The team need a lot of support, the Liberians are going to be motivated considering they playing at home. However, Shooting Stars must be fully determined and take their chances – my prediction 2-1 Sierra Leone.”
Meanwhile, The Young Elephants, who already and impressively scored three goals in the last 10 minutes to embarrassingly down resilient Sierra Leone on Thursday, April 26, await the second-best team from Group B.
However, Liberia’s U-20 team, Christopher Wreh wants better government support for the team.
The former Arsenal player, who was speaking after his side victory against Guinea Bissau, said his boys are going through a difficult period while playing in the tournament.
He added that he and his technical staff have had to use their personal funds and provide materials for the team.
All semi-finals matches will be played on May 2. Mali advance from Group B to the last 4 after a hard fought 1-0 win over Guinea while Gambia and Senegal settled to a 0-0 draw on Friday, April 27, 2018, at the SKD Sports Complex.
WAFU U20 Standing
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by FSL News | 25 Apr, 2018 | Players Abroad News
Sierra Leone captain Umaru Bangura has agreed to a new contract extension to remain at the club until 2021, the player has confirmed.
The Centre-back has signed a new three-year deal with the Zurich-based club despite been ruled out for the rest of the season because of a Knee injury.
After signing his new deal, Bangura told Football Sierra Leone: “I feel very excited. I’m very pleased to be here for few more years.
“But, I must state, I’m also very disappointed that I will not be able to help the team in the Cup final and the rest of the season.”
He will undergo surgery in Zurich this week after internal ligament rupture in the right knee.
FC Zurich will have to do without the defender in the final of the Swiss Pokal Cup away to BSC Young Boys on Sunday, May 27th, 2018, at 14:00 in the “Stade de Suisse” (the home stadium of BSC Young Boys).
Bangura, 30, has been a regular at the City club since his move in 2016 from Belarusian club Dinamo Minsk and was a pivotal figure in the clubs promotion back to the Swiss Super League.
The former Hönefoss BK and FK Haugesund is only the second Sierra Leone international to join a Swiss club after the country’s soccer idol Mohamed Kallon, who played for AC Lugano.
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by FSL News | 25 Apr, 2018 | International, National Sport News Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone opened their 2018 WAFU U20 tournament with a 2-1 win over Guinea Bissau at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex in Liberia on Tuesday evening.
Alusine Koroma, who was named Man of the Match, fired Shooting Stars of Sierra Leone ahead in the 29th min from a Bankole Cole assist.
The young Stars impressively dominated possession against the team that eliminated them from the Total U20 Africa Cup of Nations U20 qualifiers a week ago.
US-based Rodney Michael Jr made it 2-0 in the 43rd min from Thomas Kamara cross.
Sierra Leone kept on piling the pressure until Thomas Kamara shot hit the woodwork before the break.
After the Break, Guinea Bissau came out stronger putting some pressure on the Stars as they created two one on one situation but was both denied by the Sierra Leone Ghanaian based stopper Sylvanus Parkins.
Shooting Stars NBallie Kamara received a second yellow in the 48min and was sent off for an intentional handball according to the referee from Guinea.
Coach Ken Tabi was forced to make an urgent substitution by sacrificing goal scorer Rodney Michael Jr for defender Mohamed Sesay.
Despite with 10 men, Sierra Leone kept composure.
Guinea Bissau came close in the 68 min when Cissee Diaby shot hit the woodwork, this brought life into the Guineans attack.
G-Bissau scored in the 73min from a rebound free kick. However, Coach Ken Tabi side held on for their first win in three matches under the Cameroonian.
Sierra Leone Alusine Koroma won the Man of the Match Award after an impressive performance from the young lad from Lunsar.
Sierra Leone Coach post-match:
“The team is a young and has been together for a month now we have gone through the bad times, now we came out with the results.
“I believed in my boys and the performance has shown we are here for business.”
“We want to thank WAFU for given us the opportunity to showcase our talents as for four years no Domestic league in our country but with such tournament, we can see more stars emerging in Africa Football.”
Today matches we will see an all-French affair as Senegal will lock horn with Mali at 4:00 pm, whiles Gambia will take on Guinea, Conakry at 7 pm.
By Our African Correspondent in Liberia Prince Scott – Follow the writer @PrinceArmaniSc2 @football_sierra
by FSL News | 24 Apr, 2018 | African News
This year’s West Africa Football Union (WAFU) Under-20 tournament will kick off today at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex, with Liberia facing a tricky contest against the Ivory Coast in the opener.
Ivory Coast is replacing Cape Verde who earlier withdrew from the tournament.
In Group A. Liberia, the host nation will welcome Ivory Coast in the competition opener 16:00 GMT before Sierra Leone battles it out with Guinea Bissau three hours later.
Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire, and Mali and all participating teams arrived safely to honour their various fixtures in the WAFU U20 Liberia.
Senegal and Cote d Ivoire have been tipped by African Pundits favourites to win the tournament.
All group encounters are expected to be played between the 24th and the 29th of April before a two-day break for semi-finals matches, which will be played on May 2.
According to schedule, the final will be played on the 5th of May at the SKD stadium and all visiting teams will depart the capital of Liberia on Sunday, May 6.
“I can confirm all teams have arrived in the country to kick-start the tournament. Yesterday I was able to receive Senegal, Cote d Ivoire, Mali and all teams have been placed at their respective hotels,” Andy Quamie Liberia Deputy Minister of Sports to our correspondent.
“As a government, we want to use sports as one organ to rebrand our country that why the government is in 100% support to ensure this tournament is a success,” he said.
West Africa Football Union Under-20 tournament (WAFU) schedule
By Our African Correspondent in Liberia Prince Scott – Follow the writer @PrinceArmaniSc2
by FSL News | 23 Apr, 2018 | Players Abroad News
FC Zurich defender Umaru Bangura has been ruled out for the rest of the season because of a Knee injury.
Sierra Leone skipper suffered an internal ligament rupture in the right knee and will miss the final of the Swiss Pokal Cup.
FC Zurich will take on BSC Young Boys on Sunday, May 27th, 2018, at 14:00 in the “Stade de Suisse” (the home stadium of BSC Young Boys).
Bangura, 30, was taken off in the 82nd minute in their 4-0 thrashing over St. Gallen on Wednesday and was out of their 2-1 defeat to FC Luzern at the weekend.
Bangura together with Yassin Maouche where both injured and they will not be available in the final round of the season in the Super League.
The club will now have to do without Bangura and midfielder Maouche, who also tore a hamstring in the right thigh. The Franko-Algerian had just returned from a several-month injury break.
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