Author: Alie Bittar @bittar32

Augustine Williams delighted to open new season account
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Augustine Williams delighted to open new season account 

Augustine Williams was delighted to get off the mark after opening his account for new club Indy Eleven. 

On Saturday night, at Carroll Stadium, The striker, who signed for Indy ahead of the new USL season, scored his first goal for Indy Eleven in a 1-1 draw against Sacramento Republic. It was his home debut for the new club.

In the 31st minute, Indy Eleven conceded an own goal, but it was short-lived as Augi Williams scored a goal, assisted by Max Schneider, almost immediately, equalizing the match.

Both teams had chances in the second half, but neither was able to score the winning goal.

“Home opener debut. Deserved more than 1 point. Thanks to our amazing supporters for the support. Happy to score my first goal for this amazing club. Great shift by the lads, on to the next one @IndyEleven,” Williams noted on Twitter.

Indy Eleven’s next game is against Detroit City FC, the first Eastern Conference foe of the season, which will also be played at Carroll Stadium next Saturday at 7 p.m. ET.

Malachi Jones makes his New York City's MLS debut
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Malachi Jones makes his New York City’s MLS debut

On Saturday, New York City FC played against Cincinnati at TQL Stadium and lost 1-0 in a closely contested match. 

Although both teams had few clear chances, Lucho Acosta managed to score the only goal of the match in the 57th minute. 

Despite their best efforts and fighting till the very end, City were unable to find an equalizer before the final whistle.

New York City FC were on the hunt for back-to-back wins as they took on FC Cincinnati on Saturday.

The hosts had enjoyed an unbeaten start to the season under Pat Noonan’s guidance, but City were eager to change that.

Malachi Jones, who hails from Sierra Leone, made his debut for New York City in their match against Cincinnati on Saturday. 

Head coach Nick Cushing brought Jones off the bench in the 67th minute, along with Alonso Martínez. 

Hannes Wolf and Fernández were the players who were replaced by Jones and Martínez. The match ultimately ended in a 1-0 defeat for New York City.

Morocco 2025 prelims; Chad, Liberia & Eswatini in driving seat
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Morocco 2025 prelims; Chad, Liberia & Eswatini in driving seat

On Wednesday, 20 March, Liberia and Eswatini won their first-leg matches in the CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 qualifiers. 

Liberia beat Djibouti 2-0 at home, while Eswatini won 3-0 against Liberia. On Friday, Chad also won their first-leg match, beating Mauritius 1-0.

Chad’s win gives them a slim lead in the two-legged affair against Mauritius. The return leg will take place on Tuesday, 26 March. 

Meanwhile, on the same evening, Sao Tome and Principe drew 0-0 against South Sudan in Berkane.

The eight lowest-ranked nations according to FIFA Rankings are currently playing in a home-and-away knockout format for the preliminary stage of the qualifiers. 

The four remaining nations from this stage will be eligible to join the 44 other nations in the group stages of the qualifiers.

TotalEnergies CAF AFCON Morocco 2025 Preliminary Qualifiers Results:

First Leg Fixtures:

Wednesday, 20 March 

Somalia 0 – 3 Eswatini

Djibouti 0 – 2 Liberia

Friday, 22 March

Chad 1 – 0 Mauritius

Sao Tome and Principe 0 – 0 South Sudan

Return Leg Fixtures:

Tuesday, 26 March

13:00 GMT | Eswatini – Somalia

16:00 GMT | Liberia – Djibouti

17:00 GMT | South Sudan – Sao Tome and Principe

15:00 GMT | Mauritius – Chad

Ghana beat Uganda to clinch African Games Football Gold
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Ghana beat Uganda to clinch African Games Football Gold

Ghana’s U20 won the 2023 African Games Men’s Football tournament by defeating Uganda 1-0 at the Accra Sports Stadium. Jerry Afriyie scored the decisive goal in the final. 

The Ghanaian team, under Coach Desmond Offei, showed a strong performance throughout the tournament to win the gold medal.

Despite an intense and captivating first half from both sides, the score remained goalless, with Ghana coming close to scoring several times.

After halftime, Ghana intensified their attacking efforts and scored in the 90th minute to win the gold medal, while Uganda claimed silver for their commendable performance.

Having triumphed over Congo earlier in the day, Senegal received the bronze medals in recognition of their achievements.

The victory is a significant triumph for Ghana in the realm of African football as they completed a clean sweep by winning gold in both men’s and women’s football.

Ghana crowned African Games queens after comeback win over Nigeria
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Ghana crowned African Games champions after defeating Nigeria

Ghana’s U20 team won the women’s football tournament at the 13th African Games, beating defending champions Nigeria 2-1 in a dramatic final on Thursday night. 

Nigeria took the lead with a goal from Edeh Njideka in the 28th minute, but Ghana rallied in the second half, inspired by their home crowd. 

Tracey Twum scored a fine equalizer in the 78th minute, taking the match to extra time. Mukarama Abdulai then scored a classy winner, securing Ghana’s second African Games women’s football gold medal. 

The hosts celebrated wildly, while Nigeria took silver, and Uganda won bronze after defeating Senegal in the third-place playoff. 

“I’m so proud of this team. We never stopped believing even when we went behind,” said Ghana coach Yussif Basigi.

But it was Ghana’s night as the nation’s rising stars announced themselves on the continental stage with a triumph for the ages.

Midfielder Jon Kamara joins Philippines United City
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Midfielder John Kamara joins Philippines United City

Sierra Leone International John Kamara has penned a season deal with United City Football Club in the Philippines Football League (PFL), the top-tier league of football in the Philippines. 

“John Bankolé Kamara is a significant signing for United City FC. His versatility, leadership, and technical ability make him a valuable addition to the squad,” Coach Marian. 

The New Clark City-based club confirmed the news via their website on Friday as Kamara gears up for the new season.

Last season, the former Keşla enforcer played for Egaleo in the Greek second-tier league before leaving to join United City.

City is Kamara’s tenth professional club since he started with Tadamon Sour SC in 2008.

He made his senior international debut for Sierra Leone in 2013 and has made over 20 caps for Sierra Leone. He played a pivotal role on the road to Cameroon in 2021. Kamara played in all Sierra Leone matches at the  2021 AFCON.

“John Bankolé Kamara is a significant signing for United City FC. His versatility, leadership, and technical ability make him a valuable addition to the squad. 

Kamara’s tactical awareness and ability to dictate play make him a formidable presence in midfield. 

His international experience with Sierra Leone adds depth to his credentials. United City FC values his dedication and professionalism,” Coach Marian speaks of his new acquisition. 

Kamara played a pivotal role in Sierra Leone's AFCON 2021 campaign in Cameroon.
Kamara played a pivotal role in Sierra Leone's AFCON 2021 campaign in Cameroon.
Liberia & Eswatini register encouraging wins in Afcon preliminaries
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Liberia & Eswatini register encouraging wins in Afcon preliminaries

Liberia and Eswatini claimed impressive away victories in their respective Africa Cup of Nations, Morocco 2025, preliminary round ties on Wednesday. Liberia defeated Djibouti 2-0, while Eswatini thrashed Somalia 3-0.

Ammed Sangare and Murphy Dorley helped Liberia secure a comfortable lead at halftime. Sangare scored the opening goal in the 23rd minute by converting a penalty. In the 35th minute, Dorley made it 2-0 by brilliantly firing in a second ball from Sebastian Teclar’s cross inside the box.

Eswatini were also celebrating after demolishing Somalia 3-0 in the Moroccan city of El Jadida to put one foot in the group stage qualifiers. 

Striker Sabelo Ndzinisa was the hero, netting twice on either side of Felicio Figuareido’s 40th-minute opener for the visitors.

Both sides, Liberia and Eswatini, now have a huge advantage heading into the second legs as they target a place in the group stage on the road to next year’s finals in Morocco. 

Somalia now faces an uphill battle to qualify when they travel to the Mbombela Stadium in the South African city of Nelspruit for the return on March 26th.

Uganda defeated Congo to set up Ghana's final in African games
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Uganda down Congo to set up African Games final against Ghana

Uganda and Ghana will compete in the men’s final of the 13th African Games on Friday after winning their respective semi-final matches in Accra on Tuesday. 

Both matches were thrilling and produced exciting football performances. The final promises to be a fiercely contested battle between two formidable opponents as Ghana and Uganda aim to win gold medal glory.

Ghana secured their place in the final with a late goal against Senegal, winning 1-0. Meanwhile, Uganda staged a remarkable comeback from two goals down to defeat Congo 4-2 in a six-goal thriller.

Ghana’s home support played a crucial role in their narrow victory, with Michael Ephson scoring the only goal of the match. 

Uganda’s success was attributed to prayers and hard work by their coach Morley Byekwaso, who expressed their aspirations to join the ranks of African football giants.

Congo’s coach, Clement Massamba Madieta, lamented his team’s performance, acknowledging the challenges they faced due to fatigue from previous matches. 

Despite their disappointment, Madieta emphasized his team’s determination to salvage a podium finish in the bronze medal match.

David Sesay nets a stunner as Eastbourne Borough beat Taunton Town
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

David Sesay nets a stunner as Eastbourne beat Taunton Town

Eastbourne Borough defeated Taunton Town 2-0 in the National League South on Saturday, with Sierra Leone International David Sesay being instrumental in the victory.

David Sesay’s stunning strike gave the Sports the lead at the break, with Yahya Bamba’s late goal wrapping up all three points at Priory Lane.

Adam Murray’s side is now just three points from National League South safety with eight games to go.

In the first half, the visitors came close to scoring when Nat Jarvis hit the post and then Seb Bolton before going over. 

The Sports took the lead just before half-time with an excellent goal from Sesay. 

In the second half, Borough sealed the win in stoppage time with a goal from Yahya Bamba.

Born in Brent, Sesay joined Watford in 2007, turning professional in June 2016. Last season, he made 35 appearances for Weymouth and scored twice, having played an integral role in helping them escape relegation on the final day of last season.

Connect with us @football_sierra on Facebook/ Instagram, Football Sierra Leone, and Players Abroad News.

CAF Launches CLOP System for MA's Top-tier Men’s Competitions
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

CAF Launches CLOP System for MA’s Top-tier Men’s Competitions

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has introduced a new system called the “Club Licensing System” for the top-tier men’s competitions of its member associations. This new system will ensure that the clubs meet the required standards in areas such as management, infrastructure, legal, financial and sporting aspects.

The CAF Club Licensing Online Platform (CLOP) has recently completed its pilot phase with great success. As a result, CAF is proud to announce the extension of this revolutionary initiative to all top-tier men’s club competitions across all 54 Member Associations.

The CLOP system is a cutting-edge electronic tool designed by CAF to streamline and oversee club licensing and stadium inspections for both domestic and continental competitions.

Through this platform, every Member Association is now equipped with a fully automated and electronic club licensing process. This allows clubs to easily archive and submit their club licensing documents virtually for CAF Club Interclub competitions.

In line with CAF’s goal of developing football across the continent, the system will now be extended to all Member Associations to implement within their domestic top-tier club competitions.

Under Article 64 of the CAF Men’s Club Licensing Regulations (edition 2022), the system will focus on implementing domestic club licensing criteria for men’s top-tier national club competitions across all 54 Member Associations.

With this initiative, CAF is paving the way towards a more efficient and transparent football landscape across the continent. By implementing this system, CAF is ensuring fair play and safety for all involved in football, from fans to clubs and players alike.