by FSL News | 18 Jul, 2017 | Players Abroad News
Walsall striker Amadou Bakayoko has set himself a target of 15 goals for the English League One outfit.
Bakayoko, 21, who won the Walsall FC Young Player of the Year award for the 2016/17 season, scored ten goals in all competitions last year.
After completing Walsall’s intense pre-season boot camp in the Lake District, the Sierra Leone-born wants to make the most of his season.
“I’m going for 15 goals or more. And I want to be the main man for the team. I want to be part of a team that is winning football matches and pushing up that table,” he said.
“I feel strong and I can’t wait for the season to get started. I’m really ready to go. The team has been working incredibly hard and we’re all really looking forward to the start of the season,” he told Express and Star.
While in the Lake District, the players spent time completing intense obstacle courses, climbing mountains, abseiling and swimming in Lake Windermere.
Bakayoko, who made 45 appearances in all competitions, is well known for his scoring exploits.
The prolific striker, who was the leading goal scorer for the Walsall youth team has also had spells at Port Vale in April 2014 and AFC Telford United.
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by FSL News | 18 Jul, 2017 | African News
North London Premier League side, Arsenal, are reportedly weighing up a bid for Napoli’s Senegalese centre-back Kalidou Koulibaly.
The Gunners are in the market for a central defender and TMW claims that the Teranga Lions man is now Arsene Wenger’s top target.
Koulibaly, 26, has previously been linked with a move to Chelsea, but Antonio Conte’s side failed with several bids last year.
Arsenal have now made an approach but Napoli, for the moment at least, remains unwilling to sell their prized asset.
Kalidou Koulibaly was born and raised in France by Senegalese parents and was therefore eligible for both nations.
He played for the U-20 French side starting in 2011.
However, in early September 2015, Koulibaly changed federations and joined the Senegal national football team
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by FSL News | 17 Jul, 2017 | Players Abroad News
Mannah, Head Coach Yasser Alkinani and the team manager Saheed Kasimis
Aluminium SC new acquisition and Sierra Leone-born midfielder, Abdul Sama Mannah pictured with the club , is eager to impress on the pitch for his new club.
The former Sohag player is currently getting ready for the new season with the Egyptian second-tier side after signing a two-year deal with the Hammadi-based outfit last week.
Mannah, who has been regularly playing as an attacking midfielder in the last two seasons with Sohag is relishing the prospect of helping Aluminium SC gain promotion to the top flight.
He delivered solid performances for Sohag sporting club last year which has made him a mainstay in the division.
While talking to Football Sierra Leone, Mannah admitted that he is ready to play in any attacking role for the club in the new Egyptian second-tier campaign.
“The most important matter for me is not where I play, but that I play,” he said and confirmed his desire as to why he joined the club.
“I’m happy to be here and really looking forward to getting started.
“The club is a very ambitious club and hopefully I can be part of the history, as the determination is to get promoted,” Mannah added.
The club once returned to the Egyptian Premier League at the beginning of the 2007–08 season, following a long absence before relegated back to the Second Division, 2nd (Group A).
He has had spells with Mount Zion and Ghanaian side Medeamaa Sporting club before moving to Egypt.
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by FSL News | 17 Jul, 2017 | Players Abroad News
Sierra Leone defender David Simbo pictured is happy with his new move
Turkish side Eskisehirs Kutuluspor have signed Sierra Leone international defender David Simbo on a one-year contract for an undisclosed fee from Yeni Amasyaspor.
Simbo, 27, is delighted to join Eskisehirs kutuluspor and is ready to rejuvenate his playing career.
“I’m delighted and It’s a great feeling to be playing in Turkey,” Simbo said.
“I also had a great time last season despite been a lower league, I was happy, for me game time matters most.
“I want to thank everyone at Yeni Amasyaspor for my time with them.”
“Everything about Eskisehirs Kutuluspor satisfied me, I’m ready to give 110%, I can’t wait to get started,” the Najran and Krumkachy Minsk player told footballsierraleone.net.
Simbo has had spells in Sweden with → Motala (on loan), Trelleborg (on loan), Boden and Sandviken before joining Sudanese top-flight side Al-Hilal in 2014–2015 and later moved to Najran and Krumkachy Minsk in Belarus.
He started his playing career with local club Mighty Blackpool, where he was impressive before moving abroad.
Our apologies: David Simbo’s new club is not a TFF Lig 1 club as earlier reported, but the same level he played last season, was an Error.
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by FSL News | 16 Jul, 2017 | African News
Eight people have been killed during a Senegal football league final in Dakar in a stampede that broke out following clashes at the end of the match, the official APS news agency said.
A wall collapsed at Demba Diop Stadium on Saturday as people prepared to leave after the game between local teams Ouakam and Stade de Mbour, APS reported, adding much more were injured.
Police fired tear gas at clashing supporters from both teams who were throwing projectiles, and panic spread in the stadium leading to a crush.
Sports minister Matar Ba said a young girl was among the dead, while around 60 injured fans had been taken to health facilities in Dakar.
He vowed, “strong measures so that such an event will never be repeated in Senegal”.
At 2-1 during extra time, US Ouakam supporters began throwing stones at Stade de Mbour fans, causing spectators to begin vacating their seats in a rush, an AFP news agency journalist at the scene said.
Part of a wall supporting bleachers seating fans from both sides then collapsed as police started firing tear gas.
“All of a sudden, the wall fell. We knew some of our own had lost their lives because the wall fell directly onto people,” said Cheikh Maba Diop, a witness who helped evacuate victims from the stadium and lost a friend in the tragedy.
Campaigning for Senegal’s legislative elections due on July 30 would be suspended on Sunday in respect for the victims, said a spokesman for President Macky Sall.
Sall also wanted “punishments serving as a warning” following the tragedy, spokesman El Hamidou Kasse said on TFM television.
Senegal’s safety record at large gatherings has been heavily criticised this year after the death of dozens of people at a religious retreat in April when a fire ripped through makeshift shelters.
Source: News agencies
by FSL News | 16 Jul, 2017 | Players Abroad News
Newly promoted Allsvenskan side AFC Eskilstuna, have achieved their first win of the season defeating Kalmar FF 2-1 on Saturday.
A goal from Nigeria forward Chidi Dauda Omeje in the 48th min cancelled out Kalmar’s Senegalese striker Papa Alioune Diouf opener in the 8th minute before the home team double their scoreline to win it in the 78th min from Ludvig Ohman.
First front bottom, in the Swedish top flight Michael Jolley, who recently take charge of the team have only lost twice but they have gone all season without a win in 14 attempts before this victory, losing 10 games with four draws.
The victory might just turn their season around as the locked down in a deep fight against relegation.
Sierra Leone international, Mohamed Buya Turay (pictured), who has scored three times this season in twelve appearances, was in action as they put up a spirited fight to registered first Allsvenskan victory at home and all season.
Turay had a great opportunity to give AFC the lead, but was unable to finish the game.
“We have won the first victory in Allsvenskan and it is a historic moment for the club, and we are very happy.
“But this is just one step and we have to quickly reload and think about the future because we have fifteen very important matches left,” said coach Michael Jolley after the match.
Their next Allsvenskan will them travel to Kalmar for the second phase of the top flight action on Jul 23 at the Gasten Konstgras stadium.
Match fact: AFC Eskilstuna – Kalmar FF 2-1 (0-1)
0-1 (8) Papa Alioune Diouf
1-1 (47) Chidi Dauda Omeje
2-1 (78) Ludvig Öhman-Silwerfeldt
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