Month: July 2024

Defender Okoli is excited to begin after joining Leicester
by FSL News

Defender Okoli is excited to begin after joining Leicester

Highly-rated young defender Caleb Okoli has expressed his delight in joining Leicester City from Serie A side Atalanta on a permanent deal, subject to Premier League and international clearance.

The 22-year-old centre-back, who played for Italy at the EURO U21 Championships in 2023, has signed a five-year deal with the Foxes as they get ready for the 2024/25 Premier League season.

In an interview with Foxes Hub, Okoli, who is a Okoli is Igbo and Yoruba by descent stated, “I believe the time is right for me to take a major step forward.

I’m thrilled about my decision and eager to begin playing in the Premier League. I feel prepared to start with my new team here in Leicester.”

Okoli, who was born in Vicenza, Italy, joined Atalanta in 2015. He had a successful loan spell at SPAL during the 2020/21 season, making 16 appearances and scoring once in a 2-1 victory over Lecce.

https://twitter.com/LCFC/status/1810699683087671437

Milo FC clinches historic first title in Guinea's Ligue 1
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Milo FC clinches historic first title in Guinea’s Ligue 1

Milo FC made history by winning the Guinean championship for the first time. They secured the title with a 2-1 victory over Ashanti Golden Boy.

Milo FC’s title win marks a significant milestone for the club and sets a new benchmark in Guinean football.

This win gave them a five-point lead over their closest rivals, Hafia FC, who lost 3-1 to AS Kaloum.

Abdoulaye Yonta Camara, Milo FC’s top scorer, played a key role in their victory, scoring two goals. This win, coupled with their season record of 16 wins, 5 draws, and 5 defeats, earned them a spot in the African Champions League.

This achievement was a disappointment for Hafia FC, who hoped to win their 17th Guinean championship.

The final day of the season also saw AS Kaloum defeating Hafia FC 3-1, while other matches ended in a draw or a victory for different teams.

Milo FC de Kankan supporters celebrated with jubilant spirits.
Milo FC de Kankan supporters celebrated with jubilant spirits.
The search for Moroccan footballers lost at sea is ongoing
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

The search for Moroccan footballers lost at sea is ongoing

The search continues for two Moroccan footballers who went missing off the country’s northern Mediterranean coast on Saturday.

Ittihad Tanger, a Moroccan club, informed the BBC that five staff members, including senior players Abdellatif Akhrif, 24, and Salman El-Harrak, 18, were on a yacht excursion near the city of Tetouan.

Emergency services rescued three individuals, including club employee Oussama Aflah, young players Soumaimane Dahdouh and Abdelhamid Maali, after they had been adrift at sea for several hours.

Ittihad Tanger president Mohamed Cherkaoui confirmed that the search for the missing players is ongoing and urged caution regarding information shared about the pair on social media.

After being rescued, Aflah spoke to a local media outlet, Tanjaoui, and recounted the events of Saturday afternoon. He mentioned that everything was normal until heavy winds suddenly took them away from the boat while they were swimming within sight of the shore.

Deputy president Anass Mrabet mentioned to Reuters that the men were not wearing life jackets when they went swimming. Ittihad Tanger has been competing in Morocco’s top flight since 2015 and secured their sole league title in the 2017-18 season.

Alex Bangura Middlesbrough set open pre-season camp in Portugal
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Alex Bangura’s Middlesbrough set up pre-season camp in Portugal

Sierra Leone left-back Alex Bangura is part of the English Championship team Middlesbrough’s week-long pre-season camp in Portugal.

The 28-man Middlesbrough squad flew out to Portugal on Sunday afternoon for warm-weather training in the Algarve, where they will also have a closed-door match against Portuguese top-tier team Vitoria SC.

Bangura, who has five caps for Sierra Leone, made eighteen appearances for Middlesbrough last season as they came close to earning promotion to the Premiership.

Middlesbrough’s full first-team squad, including players like Tommy Smith, Darragh Lenihan, and Marcus Forss, are in Portugal and will also focus on their rehabilitation during this training period.

Augustus Kargbo's Cesena announce 2024/25 pre-season schedules
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Augustus Kargbo’s Cesena announce 2024/25 pre-season schedule

Sierra Leone International Augustus Kargbo’s Italian side Cesena has announced their schedule for the pre-season ahead of the new Serie B campaign for the 2024/25 season.

Kargbo was pivotal as Cesena secured promotion to Serie B after winning the Serie C championship against Pescara F.C. by 1-0, thanks to Edoardo Pierozzi In August.

The team’s first training session, under the guidance of the new coach Mignani, is set to start tomorrow. Thirty players have been called up for the first seasonal meeting, including six from the Primavera team.

The schedule for this week includes daily double training sessions at 9 am and 5:30 pm until Friday at the Villa Silvia sports centre. Additionally, all training sessions this week will be open to the public.

On Saturday, July 13, the team will leave for Acquapartita for a two-week retreat. The first two friendlies of the season have been scheduled. The team will play against the local Representative of Alto Savio on Sunday, July 14 and against Sampierana on Thursday, July 18.

New Bournemouth deal for Ghana's Antoine Semenyo
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

New Bournemouth deal for Ghana’s Antoine Semenyo

Ghana’s Antoine Semenyo has signed a new five-year contract with AFC Bournemouth until summer 2029. The 24-year-old defender had an excellent season at the Vitality Stadium.

Semenyo joined Cherries from Bristol City for around £ 9 million in January 2023. CEO Neill Blake said, “It’s clear to see Antoine’s growth since joining 18 months ago.

He’s made great progress and had a fantastic first full season with us. Signing a long-term contract was important for us to recognize his role on our team, and we look forward to more success in the years to come.”

Semenyo had a terrific season, helping the club achieve their record-breaking Premier League points total of 48.

He played 33 matches last season, scoring eight goals and providing two assists. His standout performance led to AFC Bournemouth winning the Premier League’s Most Improbable Comeback award for 2023/24.

He also earned the club’s Player of the Month award for November. Since joining in January 2023, he has played 47 times for the Cherries in all competitions.

He made his International debut for the Ghana national team during a 3-0 victory in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualification match against Madagascar on June 1, 2022. On November 14, 2022, Semenyo was selected for Ghana’s 26-man squad for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

 Togolese descent Lilian Brassier joins Marseille
by FSL News

 Togolese descent Lilian Brassier joins Marseille

Togolese descent Lilian Brassier has joined Olympique de Marseille on loan from Stade Brestois. The 24-year-old defender has signed with an option to buy after passing a medical examination.

 The centre-back began his professional career at Stade Rennais and made his debut in Ligue 2 in the 2019-2020 season. He was then loaned to Valenciennes FC, where he played 27 matches.

He was spotted by Stade Brestois 29 and joined them in the following season in Finistère. His skills in duels and heading were noticeable from the start in Ligue 1.

Lilian Brassier is a versatile and adaptable defender known for his quality recovery with his left foot. He played 30 matches, scored 3 goals, and helped Stade Brestois 29 finish on the podium and secure a place in the Champions League during the 2023-24 season.

With over 100 matches and 5 goals in Ligue 1, he has become a reliable central defender at the age of 24.

Midfielder Alhassan Koroma extends Al Shahaniya's deal
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Midfielder Alhassan Koroma extends Al Shahaniya’s deal

Midfielder Alhassan Koroma has signed a contract extension with Qatari Super League sports club Al Shahaniya until 2026.

The 24-year-old Sierra Leone international had initially signed a two-year deal last summer but has now agreed to a one-year extension after helping the club secure promotion.

Koroma was pivotal in Al Shahaniya’s promotion to the Qatar Super League for the upcoming season. In his first season at the club, Koroma made significant contributions, scoring seven goals and providing five assists in the league campaign.

The team secured a 3-1 victory over Al Markhiya at the Al Thumama Stadium in May, confirming their promotion to the Qatar top-tier league.

This victory secured their place in the 2024-2025 season’s First Division after a Play-Off match that pitted the 11th-placed team (Al Markhiya) in the final standings of the 2023-2024 season Expo Stars League against the second-placed team (Al Shahaniya) in the Second Division championship.

Midfielder Alhassan Koroma has signed a contract extension with Qatari Super League sports club Al Shahaniya until 2026.
Midfielder Alhassan Koroma has signed a contract extension with Qatari Super League sports club Al Shahaniya until 2026.
Tyrese Fornah joins Derby's pre-season ahead of Real Valladolid friendly
by FSL News

Tyrese Fornah joins Derby’s pre-season ahead of Real Valladolid friendly

Sierra Leone International Tyrese Fornah has joined Championship team Derby County for pre-season training in preparation for their friendly match against Real Valladolid.

Tyrese Fornah, 24, is looking to make a good impression on his new boss before the upcoming Championship campaign.

Derby County is set to host Real Valladolid in their final pre-season friendly before the 2024/25 Sky Bet Championship campaign next month.

The match will take place at Pride Park Stadium on Saturday, August 3rd, 2024, with a kick-off time of 3 pm.

Real Valladolid, who is 82% owned by former Brazil international striker Ronaldo, will be competing in La Liga for the 2024/25 season after finishing second in the Segunda Division last season.

They secured automatic promotion by winning 21 of their 42 league matches and finished just two points behind champions Leganes.

In November 2023, Fornah made his international debut for Sierra Leone in the World Cup qualifiers against Ethiopia and then went on to start in a 2-0 defeat to Egypt.

Sierra Leone to open AFCON 2025 campaign against Chad
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Sierra Leone to open AFCON 2025 campaign against Chad

Sierra Leone will begin their 2025 Afcon qualifying campaign by playing their first match against Chad at home, followed by a match against Zambia’s Chipolopolo in September for match-day two.

The Leone Stars will compete against Chad and Zambia in the first week of September, between the 2nd and the 10th. They are aiming to qualify for the continental tournament in Morocco next year, which would be their fourth time participating in the tournament.

In 2015, Sierra Leone and Chad played two matches, with Chad winning 1-0 at the Idriss Mahamat Ouya Omnisports Stadium during the FIFA World Cup Africa 1st round 1st Leg and Sierra Leone winning the second leg 2-1 at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium, Igwuruta in Port Harcourt the same year.

These matches were for the first round of the 2018 FIFA World Cup Preliminary. 2–2 on aggregate. Chad won on the away goals rule and advanced to the second round against Egypt.

In each group of the AFCON 2025 qualifiers, only the top two teams will qualify for the final tournament. However, in Group B, which includes hosts Morocco, only one other team will be eligible.

The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations will be held in Morocco from December 2025 to January 2026.