Month: July 2024

Newly promoted English Championship side Portsmouth are optimistic about re-signing Norwich City winger Abu Kamara this summer.
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Portsmouth still interested in signing Norwich striker Abu Kamara

Newly promoted English Championship side Portsmouth are optimistic about re-signing Norwich City winger Abu Kamara this summer.

Kamara, 20, played a crucial role in helping Portsmouth win the League One title last season.

The striker, who made 52 appearances and contributed to 21 goals, attracted interest from other clubs.

Norwich plans to include the 20-year-old in their first-team squad next season, but there are rumours linking Kamara to Belgian side Anderlecht as his contract with Norwich is nearing its end.

Despite the uncertainty, Portsmouth’s sporting director, Rich Hughes, remains positive about the potential of Kamara returning to the club.

He expressed the desire to bring Kamara back, considering the player’s success and strong connection to the club.

“We would never want to rule that out because if we could find a scenario to bring Abu back, we’d absolutely love to,” Hughes told the Portsmouth News.

“The truth is he exceeded a lot of expectations and performed to a really high-level last season, which personally puts him into a really strong position.

Emmanuel Samadia's Hartford share spoils with Charleston Battery
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Emmanuel Samadia’s Hartford share spoils with Charleston Battery

Sierra Leone International left-back Emmanual Samadia played the full throttle of the match as Hartford returned home and earned a point in a 2-2 draw with the Charleston Battery.

Samadia has made twelve appearances since joining the USL Championship side. In the match, both teams had a slow start. Hartford took control and scored first in the 20th minute. Younes Boudadi’s cross was headed by Michee Ngalina into the net, giving Hartford an early 1-0 lead.

Hartford continued to dominate and scored again before halftime. Anderson Asiedu passed to Michee Ngalina, who chipped the ball over the goalkeeper for his sixth goal of the season. Hartford led 2-0 at halftime.

The second half saw early action with yellow cards and a red card given to Renen Ribeiro, leaving Hartford with a player down. Goalkeeper Greg Monroe took Ribeiro’s place in the game.

Charleston scored in the 70th minute, cutting Hartford’s lead. The match ended in a draw after Charleston scored the equalizer in the 90th minute.

Hartford’s next game will be against the Riverhounds in Pittsburgh next Saturday at 7:00 pm.

Augustine Williams' Indy Eleven meet Sporting KC in US Cup semis
by FSL News

Williams’ Indy Eleven to meet Sporting KC in US Cup semis

Augustine Williams’ Indy Eleven is set to face Major League side Sporting KC in the US Cup semis in August.

Tuesday night, Indy Eleven made history by winning 2-1 against Atlanta United, advancing to the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Semifinals for the first time since starting in the tournament in 2014.

Sierra Leone’s Augustine Williams scored the first goal of the match, marking his third consecutive goal in the Cup. This was also the first goal that Atlanta had conceded after keeping two clean sheets at the start of the tournament.

This victory was Indy’s first win against an MLS opponent in four attempts. Williams opened the scoring in the 31st minute with an assist from Douglas Martinez, who provided his second assist of the tournament.

The second goal which turned out to be the match-winner for Indy, was an own goal caused by a dangerous cross into the Atlanta box intended for Elliot Collier, but inadvertently deflected into the net.

Atlanta’s only goal came from Nick Firmino in the 83rd minute. Inoffensive action, Josh O’Brien had three shots on goal for Indy, while Sebastian Guenzatti had two shots on target.

Los Angeles FC face Seattle in the semifinals, while Sporting KC meet USL Championship side Augustine Williams Indy Eleven after their upset of Atlanta United.

New East End Lions Coach Mohamed Lamin aim to restore glory.
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

New East End Lions Coach Mohamed Kamara aims to restore glory

The newly appointed coach of East End Lions, Mohamed Lamin Kamara, has expressed his aim to bring the club back to its former glory of winning championships and consistently competing for honours.

“We are thrilled to announce the appointment of Mohamed Lamin Kamara (ML) as our new Head Coach on a two-year contract, with the option to extend for an additional year,” stated the management of the East End club.

Coach Kamara and his team will focus on helping the club as they prepare to face tough competition as they take on ASC Jaraaf from Senegal in the preliminary stages of the 2024/2025 CAF Confederation Cup.

The first leg will be hosted by The Killers between the 16th and 18th of August, followed by a trip to Senegal to face Association Sportive et Culturelle Jaraaf the following weekend.

Speaking about the task ahead, Kamara emphasized the immense effort needed to build trust and confidence and deliver positive results.

“My leadership is open to collaborating with all those who are dedicated to the club’s success, in order to tackle these challenges to the best of our ability,” the former Wusum boss explained. “My vision is to rejuvenate the success of East End Lions at all levels, by establishing structures and achieving the required results.”

“I believe I have the necessary experience to lead the Lions, and with freedom in technical matters and support in other areas, our collective experience will help us reach our objectives.”

Lions also announced that the coach will oversee the backroom staff, focusing on player development, winning games and trophies, and maintaining discipline among players.

The club is fully committed to providing the necessary resources to support the coach and is confident that his leadership will lead to great success for the team.

In addition, one of Sierra Leone’s most distinguished clubs revealed that Abdul Karim Bangura (Mexes) will serve as Assistant Coach 1, Abdul Rahim Sheriff (Bellamy) as Assistant Coach 2, and former player Alie Jaward as the club’s new Goalkeeper Coach.

Nigeria defender Gabriel Osho departs Luton for French side AJ Auxerre
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Nigeria defender Osho departs Luton for French side AJ Auxerre

Luton Town defender Gabriel Osho has moved to French club Auxerre after his contract at Kenilworth Road ended and will wear the number 3 shirt.

Osho played for Luton when they were promoted to the Premier League in 2022-23. He made a total of 85 appearances for Luton Town.

The 25-year-old will now play in France’s top league as Auxerre was promoted under manager Christophe Pelissier. Osho has signed a one-year deal with an option for an additional 12 months.

Born and trained in Reading, he has been a solid central defender in the Championship. He scored in the play-off semi-final and helped his team rise to the elite in 2022-2023.

Last season, he played 21 Premier League games, scoring 2 goals, and was called up to the Nigerian national team in March but couldn’t play due to injury.

https://twitter.com/bittar32/status/1811692916038934674

Rhulani Mokwena speaks after joining Morocco's Wydad Athletic Club
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Rhulani Mokwena speaks after joining Wydad Athletic Club

The 37-year-old Rhulani Mokwena has confidently taken on the role of the new head coach of Morocco’s football giants, Wydad Athletic Club, as they gear up for the 2024/25 season.

Mokwena made it clear that he has no intention of recruiting players from Mamelodi Sundowns to join Wydad Athletics Club, emphasizing the importance of respecting his former club and players as he embarks on his new journey.

Despite reports of a disagreement with Sporting Director Flemming Berg leading to his departure from PSL champions Sundowns, Mokwena is focused on maintaining a positive relationship with his former employers.

Having signed a three-year contract with Wydad Athletic Club, Mokwena is determined to implement an attractive brand of football while securing victories in as many matches as possible.

He is unwavering in his ambition to lead his new team to triumph in every game and competition, acknowledging the tough competition from local rivals Raja Casablanca and FAR Rabat.

Having signed a three-year contract with Wydad Athletic Club, Mokwena is determined to implement an attractive brand of football while securing victories in as many matches as possible.
Having signed a three-year contract with Wydad Athletic Club, Mokwena is determined to implement an attractive brand of football while securing victories in as many matches as possible.
There is a chance that forward Malachi Jones could return to play for New York City FC this season after a scary leg injury.
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Malachi Jones could make a return this season after scary injury

There is a chance that forward Malachi Jones could return to play for New York City FC this season after a scary leg injury.

The youngster underwent a successful surgery to repair a broken tibia and fibula of the right leg, the club confirmed last week.

The Sierra Leone-born suffered a broken tibia and fibula in his right leg during a collision with Orlando City goalkeeper Mason Stajduhar in a match on June 28 and had surgery days later.

The team’s sporting director, David Lee, mentioned that while they don’t have a specific timeline for his return, they are hopeful that he could make a comeback before the end of the season.

Jones was seen at the team’s training facility walking without crutches for the first time, which is a positive sign for his recovery.

Jones was expected to spend the year developing with NYCFC II but instead became a regular for the first team. In 14 appearances, he has started four games, scored a goal, and recorded three assists. His first career MLS goal came on May 11 against Toronto FC.

Bo Rangers face San Pedro as EE Lions meet ASC Jaraaf
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Bo Rangers face San Pedro as EE Lions meet ASC Jaraaf

Sierra Leone’s East End Lions and Bo Rangers will play West African teams in the Caf Confederation Cup and Caf Champions League in August.

Get ready for an exciting match-up as the Sierra Leone Champions Bo Rangers take on the Ivorian side San Pedro in the preliminary stages of the 2024/2025 CAF Champions League.

Mark your calendars for the matches scheduled between the 16th and 18th of August, with a thrilling trip to Ivory Coast the following weekend.

Under the guidance of Coach John Keister, the team aims to continue their winning streak and advance to the group stages of the prominent inter-club competition in Africa.

The winner between Rangers and San Pedro will face the winner between Al Hilal of Sudan and Libya 2 in the second round of the competition in September.

In the last competition’s second round, they were knocked out by Algerian team CR Belouizdad with a 6-2 aggregate score over two matches.

In the upcoming CAF Confederation Cup, East End Lions will be facing off against ASC Jaraaf from Senegal in the initial stage of the 2024/2025 Inter-club competition.

The first match will be hosted by The Killers from the 16th to the 18th of August, followed by a trip to Senegal to compete against Association Sportive et Culturelle Jaraaf the following weekend.

The victor between Union Touarga Sportif (UTS) or Racing Club d’Abidjan will confront the winner of East End Lions or ASC Jaraaf in the second-round qualifiers.

The CAF Interclub men’s competitions are gaining popularity in African club football, drawing larger global TV audiences due to the increasing quality of African football.

In the previous season, reigning champions Al Ahly SC extended their TotalEnergies CAF Champions League title to a record-extending 12, while their arch-rivals Zamalek were crowned champions of the CAF Confederation Cup for the second time.

Full CAF Champions League first and second-round draws in the preliminary stages of the 2024/2025 Interclub competition.
Full CAF Champions League first and second-round draws in the preliminary stages of the 2024/2025 Interclub competition.
Full CAF Confederation Cup Draw in the first round preliminary stages of the 2024/2025 Interclub competition.
Full CAF Confederation Cup Draw in the first round preliminary stages of the 2024/2025 Interclub competition.
Southern Province side Bo Rangers have been placed in Pot three ahead of the draw of the Preliminary Stage of the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League.
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Sierra Leone Champions Rangers in Pot 3 ahead of CAF CL draw

Southern Province side Bo Rangers have been placed in Pot three ahead of the draw of the Preliminary Stage of the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League.

Having won the Sierra Leone title back-back, coach John Keister’s team will now set their sight to make the group stages of the top-tier Inter club competition in Africa.

In the last competition’s second round, they were knocked out by Algerian team CR Belouizdad with a 6-2 aggregate score over two matches. The CAF Interclub men’s competitions are highly popular in African club football, with increasing global TV audiences due to the growing standard of African football.

The CAF Champions League will feature 59 clubs from 47 African countries, and the CAF Confederation Cup will include 52 clubs from 41 countries.

The draw for the Preliminary Stages of the 2024/2025 Interclub season will take place at the CAF Headquarters in Cairo, Egypt.

Its is scheduled to be broadcast live on CAF’s official YouTube channel, CAF TV, at 15:00 local time (noon GMT). The last competition was won by Al Ahly SC of Egypt.

The CAF Champions League will feature 59 clubs from 47 African countries.
The CAF Champions League will feature 59 clubs from 47 African countries.
East End Lions, one of Sierra Leone's most successful clubs, has been placed in Pot One ahead of the CAF Confederation Cup draw on Thursday.
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

East End Lions set for a return to CAF Interclub Competition

East End Lions, one of Sierra Leone’s most successful clubs, has been placed in Pot One ahead of the CAF Confederation Cup draw on Thursday.

The club, which has won the Sierra Leone championship twelve times, is also this year’s FA Cup finalist. And as a result, they’ll join 51 other clubs to know their opponents for this year’s Interclub Confederation Cup tournament.

The CAF Confederation Cup is an annual association football club competition established in 2004 from a merger of the CAF Cup and the African Cup Winners’ Cup.

The draw for the Preliminary Stages of the 2024/2025 Interclub season will take place at the CAF Headquarters in Cairo, Egypt.

It’s expected to be broadcast live on CAF’s official YouTube channel, CAF TV, at 15:00 local time (noon GMT).

The CAF Confederation Cup will include 52 clubs from 41 countries. In the previous season, Al Ahly SC won the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League title, and Zamalek were champions of the CAF Confederation Cup.

Teams qualify based on their national league and cup performance for this second-tier African club football competition, which ranks below the CAF Champions League. The tournament winner faces the CAF Champions League winner in the following season’s CAF Super Cup.