Football Africa Archives - Page 70 of 139

CHAN: Cape Verde name 23-man squad for Sierra Leone

by FSL News | 20 Jul, 2022 | African News, Football Africa, Sport News

The Cabo Verdean Football Association’s technical team have continued preparing for Sunday’s 2022 African Nations Championship (CHAN) first leg qualification against Sierra Leone.

Head coach Janitor Carvalho listed his final list of 23 players for the doubleheader in Morocco.

On Monday, the home stars took their first official training session at Estádio da Várzea stadium, in Praia, Cape Verde.

The central Atlantic Ocea side will battle with their West African counterparts on Sunday, July 24 in the first leg of this year’s CHAN qualifier at the Stade de Grand Stade de Marrakech, 2 pm Kickoff ( Sierra Leone time).

The return fixture is on Wednesday 27^th July at the same venue. The aggregate winner over two-legged matches will face Mali in the next stage.

Sierra Leone was eliminated by Senegal 4-2 on aggregate during the 2018 African Nations Championship qualifiers.

Sierra Leone was 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.

Meanwhile, Malian official Sory Ibrahima Keita will be in charge of this tie. Nouhoum Bamba is the R one, Amadou belly Guisse Amadu is the AR 2 and Abdoulaye Sissoko the foruth official.

Sierra Leone’s Songor Koedoyoma is the Covid 19 officer. Match commissioner Mis from Mauritania.

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

Connect with us on Twitter, @football_sierra, Facebook -Instagram, Football Sierra Leone, and Chan Qualifying News.

CHAN: Coach Zappa Koroma pleased with training progress

by FSL News | 19 Jul, 2022 | Football Africa, International, National Sport News Sierra Leone, Sierra Leone Soccer team Profile

Sierra Leone home-based coach Francis Zappa Koroma has said he is pleased with his preparation ahead of the doubleheader against Cape Verde at the Grand Stade de Marrakech on July 24 and 27, respectively.

The former International, when answering our questions, indicated that his team is ready to compete in month’s 2023 CHAN qualifiers in Morocco.

Home-based Leone Stars have engaged in a series of friendlies as part of their groundwork. The training squad of 24 players spent twelve days together in Eastern Province, Kenema.

Out of eleven friendlies, they won ten and drew one before returning to Freetown in readiness for departure on Wednesday.

“During the training camp in Kenema, I am pleased to say it was intense, but the players were focused. They are fully aware of the importance of this competition. It is obvious that we are going to face these matches in Morocco with a positive attitude.”

“We want to qualify, hence why, as a team, we have been working well together. The willingness from the players has been going quite well. We have selected the best player in the country for now.

“The technical team has been working on going beyond the first stage of this competition because Sierra Leone, as we all know, has never qualified for the CHAN Afcon.”

The aggregate winner over two-legged matches will face Mali in the next stage.

Sierra Leone was eliminated by Senegal 4-2 on aggregate during the 2018 African Nations Championship qualifiers.

Sierra Leone was 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.

Meanwhile, Malian official Sory Ibrahima Keita will be in charge of this tie. Nouhoum Bamba is the R one, Amadou belly Guisse Amadu is the AR 2 and Abdoulaye Sissoko the foruth official.

Sierra Leone’s Songor Koedoyoma is the Covid 19 officer. Match commissioner Mis from Mauritania.

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

Connect with us on Twitter, @football_sierra, Facebook -Instagram, Football Sierra Leone, and Chan Qualifying News.

Morocco stun Nigeria to set final date with South Africa

by FSL News | 19 Jul, 2022 | African News, Football Africa, Sport News

Host Morocco stunned nine-woman Nigeria 5-4 on penalties as they reached the final of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations for the first time in their history at the Complexe Sportif Prince Moulay-Abdellah on Monday.

As a result, they will battle South Africa’s Banyana Banyana for this year’s title at the Stade Prince Moulay Abdallah Saturday.

The Atlas Lionesses reached the final by defeating the Super Falcons in a post-match penalty shootout following a 1-1 draw after extra time in the enthralling semi-final match in Rabat.

Goalkeeper Khadujah Er-Rmichi emerged as the heroine for the home side after saving Nigeria striker Ifeoma Onumonu’s kick during the shoot-out.

The South Africans, on the other hand, defeated Zambia 1-0 in Casablanca on Monday.

A stoppage-time penalty converted by Linda Motlhalo helped Banyana Banyana to reach the final of Africa’s flagship women’s football tournament.

The Banyana Banyana fought hard to beat the Copper Queens to secure a second consecutive final and fifth overall in the history of the competition.

Morocco will face South Africa in Saturday’s final with both teams looking to clinch the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations title for the first time.

The #TotalEnergiesWAFCON2022 finalists are decided! 🤩#EmpoweringOurGame pic.twitter.com/tTkgkKtx32
— #TotalEnergiesWAFCON2022 (@CAFwomen) July 19, 2022

FSL WAFCON News, African Football News – Connect with us @football_sierra, on Facebook/ Instagram Football Sierra Leone.

Kwame Quee makes Hapoel Haifa debut

by FSL News | 19 Jul, 2022 | Football Africa, Players Abroad News, Sport News

Sierra Leone winger Kwame Quee started for new Israeli Premier League side Hapoel Haifa in their first pre-season match against Cyprus top-tier side Omonia on Monday.

Hapoel Haifa won their first pre-season test match 1-0 ahead of the new Israeli Premier League campaign at mythical GSP Stadium in front of about 3,000 local fans.

Kwame, 25, was named in the side for the first time since joining the club. Striker Alon Turgeman scored the only goal for the visitors in the 54-minute.

Quee, who won the 2019 Icelandic Cup with Víkingur, last season, played for Saudi club Najran.

The Sharks will be hoping they can build on their win and better their poor last season campaign.

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Williams extends his USL Battery’s tally to nine

by FSL News | 17 Jul, 2022 | Football Africa, Players Abroad News, Sport News

Sierra Leonean striker Augustine Williams took his tally to nine goals with a brace in USL Championship as Charleston Battery triumphed 3-1 over Hartford Athletic at Patriots Points on Saturday.

The brace was Williams’ second in the campaign and his ninth overall as he was named Man of the Match.

Williams had opened the scoring in the 13-minute, but the visitors drew parity via Prince Saydee nine-minute later. However, the home side restored their lead via Enock Kwakwa in the 25-minute.

In the 53rd minute, the 6’3 forward floated in the air to redirect a flying header off the right post past Oettl, increasing Charleston’s lead to 3-1.

The Battery remains undefeated at home all-time against Hartford. The win means Bathery ended their six-game winless skid in a commanding fashion in front of the home crowd at Patriots Point.

Despite Charleston being reduced to 10 men when Matt Sheldon received a straight red card for a contentious foul call in the 81st minute, they managed to wrap up the victory.

Battery Head Coach Conor Casey applauded his side’s efforts. “It was a great performance after we started well. We were good with the ball,” said Coach Casey. We scored goals early, and I was pleased with the quality of the play, the way they closed out the game being down a man late.”

☑️ Brace ⚽️⚽️
☑️ #CHSvHFD Victory
☑️ @Heineken Man of the Match

⭐️ @augiwilliams ⭐️ pic.twitter.com/cZgMnzik2k
— Charleston Battery (@Chas_Battery) July 17, 2022

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Senegal’s Kalidou Koulibaly joins Chelsea

by FSL News | 16 Jul, 2022 | African News, Football Africa, Sport News

Senegal skipper Kalidou Koulibaly has joined Premier League side Chelsea FC from Napoli on a four-year deal, the London outfit have confirmed.

“Koulibaly is an international teammate of Chelsea’s first-choice keeper, Edouard Mendy, and will significantly bolster our defensive options following the departures of Toni Rudiger and Andreas Christensen,” Chelsea said in a statement.

“The captain of Senegal, who is a natural leader, and a strong character, will bring plenty of experience in challenging domestic and international titles.”

“I’m happy to be here with this team at Chelsea,’ said Koulibaly told the club’s website. ‘It’s a big team in the world and my dream was always to play in the Premier League.

He added, “Chelsea came first to get me in 2016, but we didn’t make it. Now when they came to me I accepted it because they really wanted me to come to the Premier League to play for them. When I spoke to my good friends Edou and Jorginho, they made my choice easier so I’m really happy to be with you today.”

The Senegalese, on his Twitter account, posted a picture of himself on a plane to America to join Chelsea’s pre-season tour with the caption: ‘Napoli, terra mia’ – translated to ‘Naples, my land’ – followed by a blue heart and signing off with his name.

Koulibaly is Chelsea’s second summer acquisition of US tycoon Todd Boehly’s new era as owner after the club signed Raheem Sterling from Manchester City on Wednesday.