by FSL News | 6 Jul, 2017 | International, National Sport News Sierra Leone
John Keister’s men stepped thirty places up in July’s football rating released by the world football governing body (FIFA).
Previously ranked 113 in the world, the Leone Stars of Sierra Leone for the first time this year moved up to become the 83rd best team and impressively the (17th) seventeen best in Africa ahead of two AFCON Group F opponent Kenya and Ethiopia.
Following their 2-1 win over Kenya in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations first leg qualifying tie in Freetown on June 10 they are also back in Africa’s top twenty best nations.
Sierra Leone next international outing is a home and away contest against Senegal.
The local Leone Stars will start their quest to reach Kenya 2018 when they take on the Teranga Lions of Senegal in the first leg qualifiers next weekend before travelling to Dakar for the return fixture the following week.
The CHAN – is a tournament for locally-based African players featuring in their own country’s domestic leagues – will be staged in Kenya from 12 January to 4 February 2018.
The winner of the double-legged tie will face the winners of the Guinea-Bissau and Guinea clash in the second round with the first leg billed to take place between 11 and 13 August, and those of the return leg the following weekend.
Meanwhile, Germany have returned to the top of the pile for the first time in two years following their Confederation Cup triumph with Brazil and Argentina sitting in second and third place respectively.
Brazil and Argentina are 2nd and 3rd respectively with Portugal, Switzerland, Poland, Chile, Colombia, France and Belgium making up the top ten teams in the world in that order.
Africa’s Top 20
1. Egypt 2. Senegal 3. Congo DR 4. Tunisia 5. Cameroon
6. Nigeria 7. Burkina Faso 8. Algeria 9. Ghana 10. Côte d’Ivoire 11. Mali 12. Morocco 13. South Africa 14. Guinea 15. Uganda 16. Mauritania 17. Sierra Leone 18. Kenya 19. Guinea-Bissau 20. Congo
The next Fifa/Coca-Cola World Ranking will be published on 10 August 2017.
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by FSL News | 6 Jul, 2017 | Players Abroad News
The Sierra Leone international Alfred Sankoh pictured has flourished during this season.
The former Balıkesirspor midfielder Sankoh has signed a new deal that will run until the summer 2018, the Turkish TFF Lig 1 have announced.
Sankoh made 25 appearances for the Turkish side this season accumulating 1783 minutes.
“Thank u Lord for this done deal finally after intense negotiations for months and hope to get a great season with Denizlispor again.” He said. “I pray for an injury free season and may God bless all Denizlispor players with great performances during the season,” Sankoh posted on his official Facebook account.
The Leone Stars midfielder began his career with Strømsgodset in May 2008, going on to sign permanently for the club in July of the same year.
In July 2012, Sankoh signed a three-year contract with TFF First League side Şanlıurfaspor.
The former Strømsgodset midfielder, Sankoh moved to Khazar Lankaran, signing a two-year contract in July 2014 where he played 25 times scoring twice.
Sankoh has made over 10 appearances for Sierra Leone in international competitions since his debut in a 0-0, 2012 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier, draw against South Africa on 10 October 2010.
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by FSL News | 6 Jul, 2017 | African News
Ghana Black Stars skipper Asamoah Gyan has joined Turkish club Kayserispor K on a two-year deal, the club announced on their official website.
The 31-year-old international joined from the Chinese side Shanghai SIPG, who had loaned him to Al Ahli in the United Arab Emirates last season.
The agreement means Gyan ended a five-year absence from Europe after he left English club Sunderland in 2012.
Gyan scored a beauty in Ghana’s 2-1 defeat to the USA on Saturday to extend his record as the Black Stars’ all-time leading scorer to 51 goals from 104 international games.
Kayserispor have finished just one place above the relegation zone in the Turkish top flight for the last two seasons.
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by FSL News | 4 Jul, 2017 | Players Abroad News, Video & News
The Sierra Leone youngster is eager to score goals for his new Czech_Republic second tier side MFK Frýdek-Místek.
Sheka Fofanah in training with his new club
Sheka Fofanah, the talented striker has agreed to a two-year contract today after impressing manager Leoš Kalvoda.
“I’m delighted and looking forward to learning from this new experience. Playing time is most important to me.
“I want to score goals for this club and help them as much as possible,” he told footballsierraleone.net just after signing his new deal.
The 19-year-old striker scored one of the best goals in Freetown playing for Leone Stars in recent years – his goal against Sudan in June’s 2017 AFCON qualifier is still one of the highlights of his career.
Fofanah has so far made four appearances for Leone Stars and has been impressive scoring two goals, one each against Gabon in Franceville and Sudan in Freetown in the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers.
Sheka started his career with local club Freetown City Council FC, before he was invited to trials with Swedish Champions IFK Norrkoping and later move to Denmark to signed for Danish 1st Division side Vejle Boldklub in 2016.
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Watch Sheka’s goal against Sudan – Sierra Leone vs Sudan | Africa Cup of Nations Qualifiers 2017
by FSL News | 4 Jul, 2017 | Players Abroad News
BK Häcken and Sierra Leone striker Alhassan Kamara is expected to miss important games in the restart of the ongoing 2017/18 Swedish Allsvenskan season after a report revealed he suffered a knee injury.
A report in Sweden is claiming that the striker who has been a regular name on the score-sheet is damaged and it is unclear how long he will be out for.
During the international break, he has been and played international with Sierra Leone, and the report further reiterated that Kamara was not in playing condition when he returned.
The coach was forced to do without Kamara – the attacker’s knee injury means that he was unfit to play in Häcken’s 2-0 victory over Hammarby on Monday.
“Crespo is our top scorer; clearly, there is a setback that he is missing. Now the other players must show up and help the team, says Häcken coach Mikael Stahre.
“He played 90 minutes for Sierra Leone but has probably had this (injury) during the period. I think,” added Stahre
His last top flight match was against IF Elfsborg as they were defeated 2-0 away from home and Kamara was substituted in the 58th minute before leaving for Freetown.
Sierra Leone down Kenya 2-1 in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations first leg qualifying tie on June 10 and Kenya’s Brian Mandela was sent off for a dangerous tackle on Alhassan Kamara.
It’s uncertain whether or not Mandela’s tackle is related to Kamara’s injury setback.
Häcken next outing will be at home against Malmö FF on July 8.
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by FSL News | 3 Jul, 2017 | International, National Sport News Sierra Leone
The Chairman of the Western Area Football Association (WAFA) who doubles as an executive committee member of SLFA, Foday Turay, believes Sierra Leone lacks the structure for a successful Women’s National League.
The League Started at a regional level a few weeks ago under the supervision of the SLFA, twelve teams are expected to qualify for the final phase and already the Southern region has completed their league.
The two finalists will represent the South, Football Sierra Leone understands, but Turay is adamant that the women’s game needs the appropriate structure if it’s to be developed.
“We lack the structure at the moment with no proper calendar and because of all these shortfalls, we can’t attract sponsors, Turay told the BBC Sport
“We can only sustain the league and save the women’s game from a total collapse if there is proper planning which is lacking at the moment,” Turay added.
However, despite Turay’s concerns over the women’s game, is important to note that the Sierra Leone national female team will take part in qualifiers of the 2018 U-20 Female World Cup and they will face Libya in a two-legged tie in the preliminary round.
The Sierra Princess will have to travel to Libya for the first between 21, 22 or 23 July 2017 before hosting them on the weekend of 4, 5 or 6 August 2017 in Freetown.
Sierra Leone are among the six nations who will battle it out for the first round qualifying places.
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