by FSL News | 22 Jul, 2017 | International, National Sport News Sierra Leone
Senegal National B side proved too strong for Sierra Leone as the Local Stars were beaten 3-1 and eliminated 4-2 on aggregate in Dakar at the Alassane Djigo Stadium in Pikine (outskirts of Dakar) on Saturday.
The win sees the young Lions advance to the next round where they face Guinea who demolished Guinea Bissau 10-1 on aggregate.
The mauling at the hands of Senegal was an obvious harsh pull back to reality for the young stars, who in the last four years have not been playing any competitive local football at home.
The Local Stars even failed to win at home in the first leg in Freetown last weekend and that was the first point of disappointment in front of the home fans.
Following a 1-1 home draw at home, it comes as no surprise the teams’ preparation was making all the headlines for the wrong reasons, it was alleged that the first part of the delegation stranded in Guinea on their way to Dakar.
The hosts dominated their visitors in the entire second half in Dakar and even in Freetown; they were a difficult team to beat despite playing for almost 50 minutes with a man down.
In Dakar, the hosts took the lead in the opening five minutes, Amadou Ndiaye accounted for the opener.
The spirited Local Stars hurry forward to stun their host with an equaliser 1-1 a few minute after.
The first half ended 1-1, Alhassan Dior made it 2-1 to Senegal a few minutes into the restart as the Lions of Teranga restored their lead.
The Lions of Teranga continued their dominance as the Stars struggled to contain them.
Daouda Dieme also put his name on the score sheet for Senegal as he made it 3-1 five minutes after the hour-mark.
Senegal held on to their two-goal lead in the closing stages of the encounter and they ran out 3-1 winners.
Senegal have now eliminated Sierra Leone in the CHAN qualifiers for the second time. The first was on penalty shoot out after 1-1 aggregate draw in 2011, the first time Sierra Leone participated.
Mauritania was the second nation to knockout Sierra Leone over the two legs in 2015 in the 2016 qualifiers.
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.
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by FSL News | 22 Jul, 2017 | International, National Sport News Sierra Leone
Prince Barrie was in action in Freetown last weekend.
Home-based Leone Stars head coach, Abubakar Tostao Kamara, has made three changes to his first team squad for today’s second leg tie of the African Nations Championship.
The CHAN qualifier to be played at the Alassane Djigo Stadium in Pikine (outskirts of Dakar).
Skipper Sorie Barrie and right back Mohamed Kamanor have both named on the bench to make way for Alfred Nyuma aka Sakila and Mahmoud Fornah in the team expected to start in Dakar.
Also, FC Johansen’s attacker Abdul Babu Bangura, who was a starter in Freetown, has been dropped to the bench.
The former Leone Stars skipper will bank on his trusted centre forward, Port Authority striker Donald Wellington aka Korbor Korbor and former Inter Allies attacker Prince Barrie to deliver in what has already been deemed a difficult test.
According to a report from Dakar, the coach made the changes for technical reasons, the team is going to play a 4-3-3 system.
The winner on aggregate will play either Guinea-Bissau or Guinea in the second round.
The first leg tie in Freetown ended in a 1-1 draw last weekend at the Siaka Steven Stadium.
Coach Kamara’s XI
Keeper: Ibrahim Bangura
Defenders: Abu Kanu,Captain Yeami Dunia, Abu Suma, Kemson Fofanah
Midfielders: Nathernial T, Mahmoud Fofanah, Alfred Sakilla
Attackers: Gibirlla Kamara, Donald Wellington, Prince Barrie
Subs: Issac Caulker, Mohamed Kamara, Morie Alie, Sorie Barrie, John Kargbo, Moahmed Kamanor, Abdul B Bangura.
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by FSL News | 21 Jul, 2017 | Players Abroad News
Sierra Leone youngster Mustapha Bundu scored his first Danish Superliga goal for Aarhus GF in today’s 2-0 victory over Hobro IK at Ceres Park.
The 20-year-old finished last season scoring one goal in nine appearances appears to have picked up where he left off.
Morten Rasmussen scored the home side first goal inside the opening two minutes.
Bundu, who signed a four-year deal to keep him at the club until summer 2021, was introduced in the 75th minutes replacing Jakob Ankersen.
He scored 13 minutes after he was called into action assisted by Mustafa Amini.
“Overall, I think we were the best team today. We started well and it was a good victory. We were solid enough and was nice to keep a clean sheet, says Glen Riddersholm, who was also pleased with the nice attendance at Ceres Park.
They’re presently second on the Danish Superliga standing and they face Silkeborg away from home on Monday 31 July.
Match Facts
AGF – Hobro 2-0 (1-0)
1-0: Morten ‘Duncan’ Rasmussen (2 ‘)
2-0: Mustapha Bundu (88’)
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by FSL News | 21 Jul, 2017 | International, National Sport News Sierra Leone
The cracker is scheduled for Saturday and will be played at the Alassane Djigo Stadium in Pikine ( a suburb of Dakar).
Spirited Sierra Leone will go into the second leg in Dakar eager to reach the second round of the African Nations Championship – CHAN.
The cracker is scheduled for Saturday and will be played at the Alassane Djigo Stadium in Pikine ( a suburb of Dakar).
The match venue was undecided due to the suspension of all sporting and cultural events by the Senegalese government following the tragedy last Saturday during a League Cup final game.
Previously, was to be played at the Demba Diop Stadium before being relocated.
Having registered an away goal in Freetown last weekend at the Siaka Steven Stadium, the host’s team have the edge over their visitors.
The Local Stars of Sierra Leone have never participated in the CHAN finals but the home-based technician Abubakar Tostao Kamara will be looking to guide his side to the competition next phase.
However, defeating the Young Lions at home will be an uphill battle regardless of the first leg result. The Senegalese are more equipped and they also one of Africa’s big guns.
They played two friendlies as part of the home work against Mauritania – winning the first leg 2-0 in Dakar and lost 2-1 in Nouakchott, while their counterparts’ preparation was surrounded by the endless football predicament in the country.
Meanwhile, Football Sierra Leone sources have indicated that the team is more than determined despite all the alleged obstacles surrounding their travels upon arrival in Dakar on Thursday.
Inside sources have disclosed that the technical team and players have express optimism and with a 1-all first leg draw, is not a mission impossible.
None of the players nor officials looked downcast as they checked in at the Alafifa Hotel in Dakar in spite of latest photos of the team allegedly stranded in Guinea Conakry.
The 34-man delegation to Senegal was warmly received by officials of the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF).
“The Ministry of Sports (MOS) and the country’s FA have done their best to ensure that we are here and I want to commend them for their efforts,” Sorie Ibrahim Sesay FA head of Competition have stated.
The winner on aggregate will play either Guinea-Bissau or Guinea in the second round.
Expected Coach Kamara’s Squad:
Keeper: Ibrahim Bangura
Defenders: Kemson Fofanah, Yeami Dunia, Abu Suma, Mohamed Kamanor
Midfielders: Anderson, Abu Kanu, Sorie Barrie, Prince Barrie
Attackers: Donald Wellington, Abdul Badu Bangura
Subs: Issac Caulker, Mohamed Fofanah, Morie Alie, Alfred Sakilla, John Kargbo, Mahmoud Fornah, (Nyakeh O. Alpha or Gibrilla Kamara)
Abu Bakarr Tostao Kamara- Head coach homes based
Amidu Karim- Asst coach
Jeffrey Coker- Goalkeeper coach
John Sama- Coach
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by FSL News | 20 Jul, 2017 | Players Abroad News
DONE DEAL…George Davies pose with SKN St. Pölten officials Photo: http://www.skn-stpoelten.at
SKN St. Pölten have completed the transfer of Sierra Leone attacking midfielder, George Kweku Davies from German second league side; SpVgg Greuther Fürth on a three-year deal.
The 20 years old joined the Austrian Football Bundesliga side on a free transfer just four days before the commencement of the Austrian top tier league and the club confirms the deal on Wednesday in both their official website and Facebook page.
Reacting to the deal, The “Wolves” sports director Markus Schupp said the left-footed winger will help give them quality in that part of the field and will boost the squad in one-on-one duels when they attack.
“With George, we have been able to commit another fast player for the wing position, who will help us through his agility and his solutions in one-on-one duels in our attack game. Moreover, due to his young age, he still has a lot of development potential that we would like to exploit in the future,” Schupp explained.
The former FC Johansen midfielder after months of training session signed a professional contract with the German side SpVgg Greuther Fürth in November 2014 just months after the player turns 18.
Davies whose SpVgg Greuther Fürth contract was expected to last until 2019 made his debut for the German second-tier league side on December 16 after he came in as a 71st-minute substitute in their goalless draw with Bochum.
He came close to scoring on his debut but his effort was thwarted twice by Michael Esser in the 80th and 86th minutes.
The winger was limited to two matches on his debut season with the German before having seven more games the following season. He was sent on loan to Floridsdorfer AC where he played 15 matches scoring three goals and an assist.
The youngster had his first call-up to the Sierra Leone national team in August 2012 against Cape Verde but made his senior international debut in 2013 against Tunisia in a 2-1 away defeat.
His performance against Ivory Coast in the 2015 AFCON qualifiers in the first leg in Abidjan could always be remembered by Sierra Leoneans and Ivoirians alike; not for the result but the remarkable performance of the teenage sensation and his clinical pass to Kei Kamara for the curtain raiser in that match.
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by FSL News | 20 Jul, 2017 | African News
24 teams will contest the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) when the next tournament takes place in 2019, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has confirmed.
CAF’s Executive Committee rubber-stamped the proposal on Thursday, at a meeting in the Moroccan capital, Rabat.
Africa’s flagship sporting event has featured 16 teams since 1996.
This implies that two teams from each of the 12 qualifying groups in the ongoing campaign, including the hosts, will sail through.
However, a decision on whether the finals will be moved from January and February to June and July is still awaited.
Meanwhile, Morocco is reported to have committed to hosting the 2019 event should Cameroon fail to cope with the burden of the expanded tournament.
The West African country that will be defending the title won in January will have recently been under pressure with critics doubting her preparedness for AFCON even before today’s development.
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Sierra Leone | Highlights -