Football Africa Archives - Page 68 of 139

CAF shifts next 2023 Cup of Nations qualifying dates

by FSL News | 31 Jul, 2022 | African News, Football Africa, Sport News

The Confederation of African Football, CAF, has confirmed shifting qualifying matches for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations scheduled for September to March next year.

The decision was, as a result, to help the continental teams prepare for the World Cup in Qatar, CAF confirmed on Sunday.

“CAF Executive Committee has approved a revised TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations Cote d’Ivoire 2023 revised qualification calendar. This was necessitated by the Executive Committee’s commitment to making room for the African nations that have qualified for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 in November/ December 2022 to prepare adequately.”

“Consequently, the September 2022 TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations Cote d’Ivoire match day three and match day four qualifiers have been moved to 20-28 March 2023.

Matchday five will now be on 12-20 June 2023, while match day six will be played on 4-12 September 2023.”

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Kamara to join Horoya’s teammates ahead of W/A Champions Cup

by FSL News | 30 Jul, 2022 | Football Africa, Players Abroad News, Sport News

Sierra Leone goalkeeper Mohamed Kamara is set to join his Horoya AC teammates as the club prepares to host the West African Champions Cup.

Kamara, 23, who join the Guinean outfit on a two-year deal in May 2022, will travel on Wednesday to the Guinean capital Conakry ahead of a four-team tournament in August.

The 20th-time Guinean title holders will host a regional tournament with clubs from Guinea, Mali and Senegal.

Horoya’s Yorokoguia sports facility, located in Dubréka, Kinsdia Region, will host the tournament.

The expected teams are Horoya AC and SOAR Academy in Guinea, Djoliba AC of Mali and Casa Sport from Senegal.

Kamara, who was a sensation during the African Cup of Nations in Cameroon, will have the opportunity to test himself against Senegal’s Djoliba AC for Mali and Casa Sport of Senegal.

These teams will compete to sharpen their skills for their future meetings in the CAF Champions League.

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

Ex-Sierra Leone coach Mckinstry unveiled in Kenya

by FSL News | 29 Jul, 2022 | African News, Football Africa, Sport News

Kenya’s most successful club Gor Mahi has unveiled former Sierra Leone coach Jonathan McKinstry as their new head coach.

Gor Mahia has won the Kenya top-tier league a record 19 times and FKF Cup a record 11 times.

McKinstry took over from Andreas Spiers of Germany, whose contract with the club expired early this month.

The Irish coach who led Sierra Leone to the top 50th in the World ranking, the country’s highest in 2014, expressed his delight after he was unveiled.

“The opportunity to lead Gor Mahia is something that has interested me for several years – ever since I first visited the club in 2016 whilst Head Coach of Rwanda. The stature of the club, combined with its significant and passionate fanbase place them as one of the leading clubs on the continent. To be trusted with the responsibility of guiding them back to success is a task that I relish,” he noted on his personal website.

“There can be no doubt that the last couple of years will have been deeply frustrating for everyone associated with the club, as results have not matched the expectations of this great club. We will be doing everything within our power to rectify that not only for this season, but also to lay strong foundations that will allow for the return of a sustained period of success in the club’s history.”

The Northern Irish man has coached in several countries; Northern Ireland, England, the USA, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Rwanda, Lithuania, Bangladesh and Uganda. His early career was focused on elite youth development through roles with Newcastle United, New York Red Bulls, the Right to Dream Academy and the Craig Bellamy Foundation.

His task is to revive the club back to its previous glory.

🟢 | New head coach McKinstry feels no pressure… listen! #Sirkal | @BetafriqKe pic.twitter.com/94OQuygZp6

— GOR MAHIA FC (@OfficialGMFC) July 29, 2022

Football Sierra Leone African Sports News – Connect With Us on Twitter @football_sierra, on Facebook/ Instagram Football Sierra Leone, writer Lamin Turay in Freetown.

Sierra Leone winger Issa Kallon joins Shanghai Port

by FSL News | 28 Jul, 2022 | Football Africa, Players Abroad News, Sport News

Chinese Super League side Shanghai Port has confirmed that winger Issa Kallon has joined the club.

Kallon, 26, who started his career at FC Utrecht, will start a new adventure in the Chinese top-tier league since announced his departure from the Dutch side of SC Cambuur.

The Sierra Leone International will play outside the Netherlands for the first time since joining Utrecht in 2014. He left SC Cambuur after five years, on 30 June 2022, as his contract expired.

He featured in 33 Dutch topflight matches for Cambuur scoring five goals last season. Overall, 129 games and 22 goals in Eredivisie since 2017.

His last competitive game for Cambuur against Groningen was May 15, where he netted a goal and assisted another in that game for his side in their 3-2 win.

Attacking Midfielder Paulo Henrique Soares dos Santos, former Chelsea attacking midfielder Oscar dos Santos Emboaba, and Senegalese’s striker Cherif Ndiaye are some of the big names at the club.

Done deal #ShanghaiPort have completed the signing of Sierra Leone winger Issa Kallon. #SaloneTwitter @football_sierra #FSLNews #FSLMedia @CSV2050 @altands pic.twitter.com/8TzwNsFbDK
— Alie Bittar (@bittar32) July 28, 2022

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Sierra Leone knockout Cape Verde to set date with Mali

by FSL News | 28 Jul, 2022 | Football Africa, International, National Sport News Sierra Leone, Sport News

Head Coach Francis Zappa Koroma’s side completed the job despite a 2-1 defeat to Cape Verde in the African Nations Championship second leg qualifier at the Grand Stade de Marrakech in Morocco on Wednesday.

East End Lions winger Prince Barrie scored in the first half for Sierra Leone with a sublime finish after some decent football, but the Cape Verdean rallied an equaliser in the second half.

The Blues Sharks scored the winner in the 82nd minute as they defeated Sierra Leone. However, the local Leone Stars progressed 3-2 on aggregate as they set a date with their Malian counterparts next month.

In the first encounter at the same venue on Sunday, striker Alie Conteh scored a brace to put the West Africans ahead in the contest.

In the next stage, Sierra Leone to host the first leg end of August 2022 in the final round for a place in Algeria 2022 before taking on the Chan 2020 runners-up Mali first week of September.

The home-based Leone Stars were eliminated by Senegal 4-2 on aggregate during the 2018 African Nations Championship qualifiers.

The West Africans were ineligible for the 2020 tournament due to a FIFA sanction.

Morocco won the last competition for the second time after overcoming Mali 2-0 in a thrilling final at Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium in Yaounde on February 7 2020, in Cameroon.

The final tournament is slated to be played in Algeria from 8–31 January 2023.

A Recap of Chan 2020 final

Morocco was the first team to successfully defend the African Nations Championship (CHAN) trophy after a 2-0 win over Mali in Cameroon in February last year.

The North Africans were made to work hard for their win as both goals came from second-half corners in front of around 6,700 fans at the Ahmadou Ahidjo stadium in Yaounde.

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Bakayoko’s Bolton to open League One campaign at Ipswich

by FSL News | 27 Jul, 2022 | Football Africa, Players Abroad News, Sport News

Sierra Leone International is in line to start for Bolton Wanderers when they open their English League Campaign away to Ipswich Town this Saturday at Portman Road.

Bakayoko, 26, registered 13 goals last season, his personal best for the Trotters since the 10 goals he scored for Walsall in 2016/17.

The Striker, who scored his first international goal for Sierra Leone against Liberia in Turkey, will be hoping to start for the Wanderers as they kick off their 2022/23 League One campaign with a trip to Ipswich Town.

The home side a few days ago bolstered their defensive ranks after the signing of defender Leif Davis from Leeds United.

Ian Evatt’s men won the last two meetings between the two sides, including a superb 5-2 win at Portman Road.

Bolton Wanderers skipper Ricardo Santos has been speaking ahead of the new season.

“I’m looking forward to this season as captain because it is the type of person I am,” he told The Bolton News, relaxing on a sun terrace in Lagos, Portugal.

“Last year, when I was given the honour, I maybe didn’t want to really show too much authority, but I think this year everyone knows it.

“I have had half a year – now this is my first full one and I want the boys to get out there and enjoy our football.”

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