Bittersweet for Jonathan Morsay after first S/Leone goal

Bittersweet for Jonathan Morsay after first S/Leone goal

by | 10 Jun, 2022 | Football Africa, Players Abroad News, Sport News

Greek Super League club Panetolikos winger Jonathan Morsay was delighted to net his first international goal for Sierra Leone but disappointed with the result at the MOK Abiola Stadium on Thursday.

Sierra Leone opened their African Cup of Nations 2023 qualifying campaign against Three-times African Champions Nigeria. A contest Morsay says Sierra Leone should take a lot of positive ahead of the next match in the group.

Morsay, 24, timely placed his header to beat goalkeeper Francis Uzoho to give Leone Stars the lead in the 11th minute.

Goals from Everton’s Alex Iwobi and Napoli’s Victor Osimhen saw the Super Eagles come from behind to register their first win over Sierra Leone in the last three meetings.

The 2-1 victory at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium was new coach Jose Peseiro’s first in three matches since his appointment.

“I was delighted to score my first goal in an official match for Sierra Leone – unfortunately, the goal was not enough for a win,” Morsay told FootballSierraLeone.Net after the tie in Abuja.

“We are obviously sad as we cannot get anything from this match, but we played well. In some parts of the game, I thoughts we played better than Nigeria. A lot of positives we can take going into the next match against Guinea-Bissau.”

“Our focus is now on the next match. We can take a lot of good things from this match onto the next qualifying game to improve our performance.”

Morsay, born in Sweden, made his debut for Sierra Leone in Turkey in a 3-0 international friendly defeat against Togo on 24 March 2022.

Sierra Leone returns to matchday two of the qualifiers against Guinea Bissau Djurtus at the Stade General Lansana Conte in Conakry on Monday.

Connect with us on Twitter @football_sierra, on Facebook/ Instagram, Football Sierra Leone, and the writer Alie Bittar on Twitter @bittar32, Contact bi****@*********************ne.net.

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Guinea-Bissau top Group A after thrashing São Tomé

Guinea-Bissau top Group A after thrashing São Tomé

by | 9 Jun, 2022 | African News, External Links, Sport News

Guinea Bissau thrashed Sao Tome and Principe 5-1 to signal a strong message in their opening Group A game of the 2023 TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations qualifier on Thursday in Morocco.

The home side had to come from behind to score five goals after Sao Tome took the lead in the 21st minute through Edmilson Viegas.

Just before the break Alfa Semedo levelled the scoreline for Guinea-Bissau before Zinho Gano brace to make it 3-1 in the 50th and 58th minutes, respectively.

Substitute Zidane Banjaqui added the fourth in the 81st minute before Jorginho Intima sealed an emphatic victory for the Djurtus moments later at the Stade de Marrakech in Morocco.

As a result, Guinea Bissau will be leading the group standings on goals advantage over Nigeria’s Super Eagles, who defeated Sierra Leone 2-1 under new coach Jose Peseiro at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium.

The Leone Stars of Sierra Leone started brightly in the opening exchanges and took full advantage of a left-wing cross for Jonathan Morsay, who scored his first goal for the West Africans.

China-based striker Mohamed Buya Turay could have doubled it for the Leone Stars after his shot hit the post just after Morsay’s goal.

The visitors’ lead only lasted five minutes as Nigeria regained composure to draw parity through a cool finish from Everton attacker Alex Iwobi.

The three-time African Champions completed the comeback four minutes from the break as Osimhen got onto a header pass from Simon to put the hosts in front.

Four days later, Nigeria will tackle São Tomé and Príncipe at the 45,000 –capacity Grand Stade de Agadir in Southern Morocco.

Sierra Leone will host Guinea Bissau at the Stade General Lansana Conte in Conakry in the second round of matches on Monday.

Connect with us @football_sierra, on Facebook/ Instagram, Football Sierra Leone, the writer Alie Bittar, on Twitter @bittar32, and Contact bi****@*********************ne.net.

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Kamara, Turay, Morsay in Sierra Leone attack at MKO, Abuja

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by | 9 Jun, 2022 | Football Africa, International, National Sport News Sierra Leone, Sierra Leone Soccer team Profile

The Sierra Leone Premier League best player of the 2021 campaign and top scorers Musa Noah Kamara will join China-based attacker Mohamed Buya Turay and Panetolikos winger in striking force to face Nigeria at the MKO Abiola stadium.

The kickoff for the Group A opener is 4 pm Sierra Leone time as Leone Stars will look to pick up a third consecutive victory and get their AFCON qualifier campaign off to a flying start.

New Middleborough midfield Kamil Conteh will pair Alhansan Koroma and John Kamara in the middle of the pack.

Skipper Steven Caulker, who was an instrumental figure in the Leone Stars side during the 2021 African Cup of Nation, will play alongside Alie Sesay.

The three-time African Champions Super Eagles searching for their third consecutive appearance at the continental showpiece, are currently on a five-game winless run and will look to end this dry spell.

Sierra Leone will look to pick up a third consecutive victory and get their AFCON 2023 qualifier campaign off to a flying start.

Nigeria have now failed to taste victory in each of their most recent five games across all competitions, picking up two draws and losing three since claiming three consecutive wins in Group D of the 2022 AFCON back in January.

Like the Super Eagles, Sierra Leone aiming to start well in this year’s qualifiers, are unbeaten in their last four qualifying games, claiming three draws and a win over Benin last June.

Connect with us @football_sierra, on Facebook/ Instagram, Football Sierra Leone, the writer Alie Bittar – on Twitter @bittar32, and Contact bi****@*********************ne.net.

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U17 Sierra Leone defeat Morocco in Liberia

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by | 9 Jun, 2022 | Football Africa, International, National Sport News Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone national U17 won their second international friendly against Morocco 1-0 on Wednesday afternoon at the Antoinette Tubman Stadium.

The Sierra Stars’ doubleheader was part of their preparations for the WAFU U-17 Cape Verde qualifiers.

A goal from Ibrahim Jalloh saw the Sierra Stars stun their counterparts, but they had to play the last 27 minutes with ten men after Melvin Lebbie was sent off.

Due to injury, Chernor Barrie had to make way for Ibrahim Jalloh, who scored the decisive winner in the 20th minute after picking up an injury. 

Last Sunday, the Moroccans won the first tie 1-0 at the same venue, but the young lads from Sierra Leone had returned the favour in the second encounter to earn a 1-1 aggregate scoreline.

The Moroccan couldn’t keep up as coach Mohamed Lamin’s side played brilliant football to overcome the first-leg defeat.

In the end, it was no surprise when the referee sounded the final whistle giving the Young Stars a superb victory on a good night for Sierra Leone football.

Follow Us on Twitter @football_sierra, on Facebook/Instagram Football Sierra Leone – Football News Africa.

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Sierra Leone’s Bolton Wanderers striker Amadou Bakayoko has admitted, if selected, facing Nigeria’s Super Eagles will be his first proper match in Leone Stars jersey.

The three-time African Champions will square up with the Leone Stars at Moshood Abiola Stadium in the Group A opener behind closed doors on the 9th of June. 

The Bolton’s hitman scored his first goal for Sierra Leone in an international friendly 1-0 over Liberia during their Meditteranean tour last March at the Mardan Sports Stadium in Aksu, Antalya, Turkey.

The Sierra Leone contingent arrived in Abuja on Saturday in readiness the face their counterpart for the seventeen times. The last meeting in Freetown ended in a goalless draw in November 2020. 

Bakayoko, 26, has been an instrumental player for League One side Bolton Wanderers since signing on a two-year deal in January 2021.

“Without a doubt playing against Nigeria will be my first proper match for Sierra Leone. Something I am looking forward to, but both Nigeria and Guinea Bissau games are no easy games,” the big striker told footballsierraleone.net.

“God willing – we can go out there and showcase ourselves against a tough Nigeria side.” Helping Sierra Leone reach the African Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast 2023 will be massive, personally for me, my country and all of us players working so hard to give our best.”

“Making the next African Cup of Nations is something as a player want to be part of and will be unbelievable for me to play in the tournament in Ivory Coast for the first time.”

“The last competition, I was not part of but watched the team play well hence why It will be pivotal for us to be in the Ivory Coast tournament.”

In just concluded season, he scored 13 goals surpassing the ten goals at Walsall shirt in 2016/17.

News from the Super Eagles’ camp stated that the new boss Jose Peseiro is already under pressure ahead of their first 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier against Sierra Leone.

The Portuguese have lost the first two games he has been in charge of since his appointment in May. The Eagles Super lost 2-1 to Mexico and 1-0 to Ecuador in international friendlies last week.

Meanwhile, Sierra Leone matchday two confrontations against Guinea Bissau will be played at General Lansana Conté stadium in Guinea on the 13th of June.

Connect with us @football_sierra, on Facebook/ Instagram, Football Sierra Leone, the writer Alie Bittar, on Twitter @bittar32 Contact, bi****@*********************ne.net.

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Nigeria striker Cyriel Kolawole Dessers, who played for Feyenoord last season on loan from Belgian club Genk, wants victory against Sierra Leone.

The Super Eagles will go face to face with the Leone Stars of Sierra Leone at the MKO Abiola National Stadium in Abuja behind closed doors on Thursday. Nonetheless, striker Cyriel Dessers insisted that should not stop the team from victory.

“We have to perform, do the business even behind closed doors,” says Dessers’ who will play his first home game for Nigeria since he opted to play for the Eagles ahead of Belgium two years ago.

“It would have been great with the fans at the stadium, but that will not be possible for this game,” Sporting Sun quoted him as saying.

The top scorer of this season’s UEFA Europa Conference League scored his first international goal in a 2-1 loss to Mexico recently.

“I got goosebumps after I scored that goal,” he admitted.

“I hope to score more goals and do everything for the team. I have no regrets. I chose to play for Nigeria even though I was overlooked after my debut two years ago.

“I will keep fighting and continue to score goals to be called up.”

He also said he has not ruled out a transfer outside Belgium even after Dutch club Feyenoord did not sign him permanently after a successful loan spell from Genk.

African Football News – Follow us on Twitter @football_sierra On Facebook & Instagram: Football Sierra Leone.

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