May 2022 - Football Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone to open camp in Guinea for Nigeria & Guinea-Bissau

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

The senior national team, the Leone Stars, will open camp for the 2023 African Cup of Nations doubleheaders in Abuja and Guinea next month.

Sierra Leone, housed in Group A, to kick off African Cup Nations 2023 qualifying campaign next month away in Nigeria. The Leone Stars set to open camp in the neighbouring Guinean capital before travelling to Nigeria.

Moshood Abiola Stadium in Abuja will host Nigeria’s 2023 AFCON opening qualifier against Sierra Leone behind closed doors.

General Lansana Conté stadium to host matchday two Leone Stars home tie against Guinea Bissau on June 13.

Football Sierra Leone understands coach John Keister and his technical team, including 25 summoned players, are expected in Guinea on Wednesday.

Prominent inclusions Bo Rangers top striker Musa Noah Tombo Kamara, defensive midfielder John Kamara of Politehnica Iași, China-based striker Mohamed Buya Turay, new skipper Steven Caulker, QPR’s defender Osman Kakay, Sirius left-back Kevin Wrights, Augustus Kargbo of FC Crotone, Italy), Mustapha Bundu AGF Aarhus on loan from Anderlecht.

The new names are defensive midfielder Ibrahim Sillah, Kickers Emden, 19-year-old Tottenham youngster Kallum Cesay, Amadou Bakayoko Bolton Wanderers, Kamil Conteh, Middlesbrough, and Jonathan Morsay of Greek side Panetolikos set to arrive by Wednesday.

The Head of the delegation, Sierra Leone Football Association president Thomas Daddy Brima and a cross-section of government officials are expected to depart Freetown on Friday.

Connect with us on Twitter, @football_sierra, on Facebook/ Instagram, Football Sierra Leone, and the writer Alie Bittar on Twitter @bittar32 – Contact; bittar@footballsierraleonet.

Tyrese Fornah returns to newly-promoted Premier League side Forest

by FSL News | 31 May, 2022 | Football Africa, Players Abroad News, Sport News

Midfielder Tyrese Fornah has returned to the newly-promoted Premier League side Nottingham Forest following the end of his loan spell.

Fornah, 22, is a Sierra Leone native who signed for Shrewsbury Town on 18 January 2022 on loan until the end of the season.

Manager Steve Cooper will evaluate his side ahead of the 2022/2023 campaign. The central midfielder, who started the season playing in Nottingham Forest’s Under-23s before making three first-team appearances, including a Sky Bet Championship debut against Blackburn back in August, must convince his boss to be part of the Forest Premier League side.

Fornah, who put up a named man-of-the-match in Forest’s 2-1 win over Bradford City in the Carabao Cup, while on loan, featured in nineteen English League one matches for Shrewsbury Town.

His last match was against Wigan Athletic in the English Football League – League One, when the match result was a 0-3 Shrewsbury Town home loss on the 30th of April.

The Reds return to the Premier League after 23 years away thanks to a 1-0 win against Huddersfield at Wembley on Sunday.

Huddersfield’s Levi Colwill’s misfortune of putting the ball through his own in the 43rd minute means Forest will play in the top flight for the first time since 1999.

Fornah posted a picture on Instagram of his locker and Reds training gear with the message “nice to be back”. And he added a heart emoji for a good message.

We did it, #Together. ❤️

🌳🔴 #NFFC pic.twitter.com/0P1dVAhIa1
— Nottingham Forest FC (@NFFC) May 29, 2022

Connect with us @football_sierra, on Facebook/ Instagram Football Sierra Leone, writer John Bangura.

Hat-trick hero Musa Kamara sends Nigeria warning as Bo Rangers lift first title

by FSL News | 29 May, 2022 | Football Africa, International, National Sport News Sierra Leone, Sport News

After his hattrick to help his local club lift the Sierra Leone title on Sunday, Musa Noah Kamara – has turned his attention to the Leone Stars African Cup of Nations’ 2023 first qualifying trip in Abuja against Nigeria next month.

The Sierra Leone best player of the 2021 campaign has set a new record as Bo Rangers thrashed Central Parade 4-0 to wrap up their title for the first time in their history on Sunday.

Kamara, 21, a back to back golden boot winner with 19 goals this season, was summoned in coach John Keister’s sqaud for afcon 2023 qualifiers.

The Rangers striker is the first local star to achieve this milestone. Kamara first won the 2019 Sierra Leone National Premier League with 15 goals for champions East End Lions.

Sierra Leone will kick off Afcon 2023 qualifying campaign against Nigeria on June 9 in Abuja. The informed striker Kamara’s recent goals will serve as a stern warning to the three-time African Champions.

Kamara is a pivotal figure in the coach Keister’s sqaud – as the Leone Stars start with a tricky tie at the Moshood Abiola Stadium in Abuja behind closed doors before hosting Guinea-Bissau at the General Lansana Conté stadium on June 13th.

Nicknamed country striker, Kamara’s magnificent left-footed strike, his first international goal in his first continental gathering (2021 Africa Cup of Nations tournament) in the 2–2 draw against the Ivory Coast on 16 January 2022, was rated as one of the best in the tournament by soccer pundits in the country.

He appeared in their third group match as the Leone Stars were eliminated from the competition in Cameroon after a 1–0 defeat to Equatorial Guinea.

“Musa Kamara only needs to focus and get his act right and can deliver anytime for the Leone Stars. His goal against the Ivory Coast was a classic example of what he is capable off,” a family friend told FSL News.

Meanwhile, Nigeria suffered a 2-1 defeat to CONCACAF champions Mexico at the AT&T Stadium in Texas on Sunday.

Next up for the Super Eagles is Ecuador in another friendly game on Friday, June 3, before their AFCON 2023 qualifiers against Sierra Leone and Mauritius.

@SLPLBoard21 award list for the just concluded Sierra Leone season. #SaloneTwitter #Salonestories #FSLMedia #FSLNews pic.twitter.com/7D2xbGQoo7

— Alie Bittar (@bittar32) May 29, 2022

#SierraLeone Super goal #TotalAfcon2021 https://t.co/DRpj9SAwZm

— Alie Bittar (@bittar32) May 27, 2022

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

Nigeria kick-off friendlies for S/Leone, Mauritius Afcon qualifiers

by FSL News | 28 May, 2022 | African News, Football Africa, Sport News

New boss Jose Peseiro to evaluate his players against Mexico on Saturday night (Sunday morning in West Africa) as his Super Eagles side prepares for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers next month.

The tie is the Super Eagles’ first outing since missing a ticket to the FIFA World finals in Qatar in March.

The three-time African champions will battle the CONCACAF champions, Mexico’s El Tri, at the AT&T Stadium located at the AT&T Way in Arlington today, from 7 pm Texas time.

Today’s contest will be the eight meetings between Mexico and Nigeria. In their last seven, five of the games ended in draws.

After the clash with Mexico, the Super Eagles’ contingent will fly into the State of New Jersey tomorrow for their scheduled friendly against Ecuador at the Red Bull Arena in Harrison on Thursday, June 2.

We understand that the two matches have been designed as physical, mental and psychological reawakening for the Eagles ahead of next month’s 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying duels with Sierra Leone and Mauritius in Abuja and St. Pierre, respectively.

African Football News – Connect with us, @football_sierra, on Facebook/ Instagram, Football Sierra Leone, the writer Alie Bittar on Twitter @bittar32, Email: bittar@footballsierraleone.net.

Sierra Leone to face Cape Verde in Chan qualifiers

by FSL News | 26 May, 2022 | Football Africa, International, National Sport News Sierra Leone, Sport News

Sierra Leone home-based national side will be seeking their first TotalEnergies African Nations Championship set to be held in Algeria 2022 when they face Cape Verde in July this year.

The qualifiers, as usual, will be played in a home and away contest and the winner of the two-legged matches will face Mali in the next stage.

The draw was conducted at CAF headquarters in Cairo, Egypt, on Thursday, 26 May 2022. Only three teams will qualify from West Zone A.

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

The country 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.

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

West Zone B

All seven teams from the region entered, and three teams will qualify.

Round one:

Ghana v Benin

Round two:

Ivory Coast v Burkina Faso
Togo v Niger
Ghana/Benin v Nigeria

Central Zone

A total of six teams entered, and three will qualify.

Sao Tome e Principe were suspended from the CHAN after withdrawing from the 2020 qualifiers, while Gabon opted not to enter.

Central African Republic v Congo
Equatorial Guinea v Cameroon
Chad v DR Congo

Central East Zone

A total of nine teams entered, and three teams will qualify. Eritrea and Kenya opted not to enter.

Round one:

Ethiopia v South Sudan
Somalia v Tanzania
Burundi v Djibouti

Round two:

Ethiopia/South Sudan v Rwanda
Somalia/Tanzania v Uganda
Burundi/Djibouti v Sudan

Southern Zone

A total of 12 teams entered, and three will qualify.

Round one:

Mauritius v Angola
Comoros v South Africa
Botswana v Eswatini
Seychelles v Madagascar
Malawi v Zimbabwe
Mozambique v Zambia

Round two:

Mauritius/Angola v Comoros/South Africa
Botswana/Eswatini v Seychelles/Madagascar
Malawi/Zimbabwe v Mozambique/Zambia

Race to Algeria 2023 🇩🇿 – Sierra Leone 🇸🇱 to face Cape Verde in Chan qualifiers & the winner will face Mali

First/Second leg matches are to be played in July 2022.#CHAN2022 #SierraLeoneStoriss #Salonetwitter #CHAN2022 @football_sierra @SLFA_sl pic.twitter.com/fP4hEEnDdn

— Alie Bittar (@bittar32) May 26, 2022

Follow Us on Twitter @football_sierra, on Facebook/Instagram Football Sierra Leone – The writer Alie Bittar, On Twitter @bittar32 – Contact bittar@footballsierraleone.net.