Author: Alie Bittar @bittar32

Alex Bangura helps Boro reach the Carabao Cup quarter-finals
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Alex Bangura helps Boro reach Carabao Cup last eight

Sierra Leone International Alex Bangura, who was restored to the Middlesbrough left side of the defence in their Carabao Cup win over Exeter, provided two assists.

Michael Carrick’s side progressed to the Carabao Cup’s last eight for the first time in five years after a thrilling win at League One Exeter.

The home side had opened the scoring through Ryan Trevitt as he blasted into the top corner from the edge of the box.

But Morgan Rogers’ curling effort through Bangura’s assist drew Boro level after the break as Samuel Silvera fired Boro ahead from another assist from Bangura.

Alex Bangura showed tremendous desire to get a foot in and win back possession for Rogers, who curled into the top corner.

Trevitt’s long-range goal levelled the scoring for Exeter, but a late penalty converted by Emmanuel Latte Lath sent Boro through.

The win ended Exeter’s hopes of a first EFL Cup quarter-final appearance as they bowed out in the last 16 for the fifth time in the club’s history.

Boro awaits to know who they face in the Carabao Cup Quarter-Finals later today.

The draw will take place live on Sky Sports following the conclusion of the Round Four tie between Manchester United and Newcastle United on Wednesday, 1 November.

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Cesena attacker Augustus Kargbo says he wants to relaunch himself with his new team following his two goals on Monday evening.
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Sierra Leone’s Augustus Kargbo aim high with Italian side Cesena

Cesena attacker Augustus Kargbo says he wants to relaunch himself with his new team following his two goals on Monday evening.

Sierra Leone International Augustus Kargbo was pivotal in Cesena‘s Seroie C Round 11 victory over Carrarese with two goals at the Orogel Stadium Dino Manuzzi on Monday evening.

The former Crotone attacker scored his second and third of the season in the 14th and 72nd minutes, respectively, to help his side maintain the second spot on the league standings.

I’m happy to have given my contribution. As always, I try to give my best – and today, it was important to win again. We did it, and I’m very happy about the victory,” Kargbo told the club’s website.

He added, “I dedicate my goals to the family. I have an Italian family who came from Crotone. I dedicated the victory to us for the sacrifices we have made. We have had some difficult days because when we don’t win, we are not calm – I dedicate the victory to us.”

In his Present Situation with Cesena 

For the moment, I feel very good in Cesena. It’s a calm environment where you can do well. I want to continue giving my best. I’m happy that the goals have arrived. I want to relaunch myself together with the team. When you reach common goals, the individuals succeed. My teammates are helping me grow day after day.” 

https://twitter.com/bittar32/status/1719109344099192908

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Sundowns and Wydad register slender wins in AFL semis
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Sundowns & Wydad register slender wins in AFL semis

Mamelodi Sundowns and Morocco’s Wydad Casablanca managed a vital 1-0 home win over Egyptian giant Al Ahly and Tunisian side Esperance in the first leg of their African Football League semi-finals.

Thapelo Maseko sealed victory with his second-half goal for the South Africans at Loftus Versfeld Stadium as Hicham Bousfiane gave Morocco’s Wydad Casablanca a goal advantage over their North African counterparts on Sunday.

On Wednesday, four-time African champions Esperance will still fancy their chances of overcoming their visitors on home soil as African giant Al Ahly plans a pathway to the next stage against Sundowns at their Cairo fortress.

Both return leg matches are expected to be fireworks in Cairo and Tunisia, respectively. 

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Issa Kallon's Shanghai Port Clinch 2023 Chinese Super League title
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Issa Kallon’s Shanghai Port Clinch Super League title

Shanghái Port played a 1-1 draw against Shandong Taishan to clinch their second Chinese Super League (CSL) title on Sunday with a game to spare.

The hosts broke the deadlock in the 16th minute when Zhang Linpeng’s cross released Lyu Wenjun to side-foot home. Wenneng Xie levelled the scoreline in the 89th minute but was too late as the home team held on to the win.

Kallon was named on the bench as Shanghai had led Shandong by five points at the top of the table before the duel, and it was no surprise that the match brimmed with an intense atmosphere.

A physical altercation erupted before halftime between Chen Pu and Lyu as they vied for position inside the penalty area.

A scuffle broke out again when Shanghai’s Li Shuai brought down Fei Nanduo in the 75th minute, prompting the Shandong forward to retaliate by pushing Li to the ground. Fei received a red card, thus reducing both sides to nine players.

The Sierra Leone International contributed five goals in twenty-five appearances in all competitions for the Chinese side. 

On 28 July 2022, Kallon joined the Chinese Super League club Shanghai Port.

Elsewhere on Sunday, Tianjin Jinmen Tigers drew with Shanghai Shenhua 1-1, Zhejiang FC smashed Cangzhou Mighty Lions 6-1, Henan FC tied with Changchun Yatai 1-1, and Chengdu Rongcheng overcame Beijing Guoan 3-2.

After Shanghai Port’s championship win, all eyes are on the battle to avoid relegation in next Saturday’s season finale, with Nantong facing off against Tianjin and Dalian playing against Shanghai Port at home. 

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Kamil Conteh's Grimsby Town fall to fourth straight defeat
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Kamil Conteh’s Grimsby Town fall to fourth straight defeat

Sierra Leone International Kamil Conteh was in action as his League Two side, Grimsby Town, suffered an away defeat to Doncaster Rovers at the Eco-Power Stadium on Saturday.

After a goalless fierst half, Joe Ironside scored a second-half penalty for what proved to be the only goal of the game.

It was a fourth consecutive Sky Bet League Two defeat for Grimsby Town, leaving them four points from the releagtion zone.

Grimsby Town will now turn their attention to the FA Cup and a trip to face Slough Town on Sunday, November 5.

Since his move from Middlesborough to Town, Conteh, 20, has made sisteen appearnces in all comtitoon for the Mariners. 

“We’ve looked at data and performances over six weeks so it’s not a snap decision,” said chair Jason Stockwood.

Speaking to BBC Radio Humberside he added: “We’ve been talking at length for the past two weeks in particular. The performances haven’t been bad but there’s something which isn’t in the data which tells us that we’re not getting the rub of the green, so we feel like it’s time to turn the page.

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John Kamara nets first Egaleo's League goal in the draw 
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

John Kamara nets first Egaleo’s League goal

Experienced Sierra Leone International midfielder John Kamara recorded his first Super League second-tier goal in Egaleo‘s 1-1 draw against Athens Kallithea on Saturday.

Kamara’s goal came in the 56th minute to cancel out the visitor’s opener from Panagiotis Kynigopoulous in the 48th minute. 

The veteran defensive midfielder was making his fifth appearance for Egaleo this campaign, having extended his contract in September. 

Kamara joined Egaleo last January and has been a pivotal player for the club. He made eleven appearances for the club, helping them avoid relegation as they finished tenth last season.

The draw moved Egaleo up to ninth on the league table after week five of the season. 

Egaleo’s next outing in the Greek Super League Two is an away trip to Panathinaikos B on the 5th of November.

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John Kamara nets first Egaleo's League goal in Saturday's draw
John Kamara nets first Egaleo's League goal in Saturday's draw
ACV Assen midfielder Ibrahim Sillah reflects after Sierra Leone duty
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Assen midfielder Ibrahim Sillah reflects after Sierra Leone duty 

ACV Assen midfielder Ibrahim Sillah, who made his Sierra Leone debut against Togo on 24 March 2022 in an International friendly in Turkey, has been speaking out about the recent International call-up.

He was named in coach Amidu Karim’s squad for International matches in the 1-1 draw against Benin and the 2-0 triumph of Somalia in Morocco earlier this month.

The Kickers Emden player, who has won five caps with Sierra Leone, was pleased as he sat with Dutch media dvhn.nl sport to give an account. 

“Eight million people are living in Sierra Leone. Of these, Twenty players (25) have been selected for the national football team during the Fifa calender in October,” he told DVHN.nl sport.

“I am one of them. I’m proud of that. I dreamed of this as a child but never expected to achieve this, my parents would have been proud of me, but they’re gone.”

Since his return to the Dutch side, Sillah, 28, has been pivotal in making eight appearances in this campaign. 

The midfielder is hoping he has impressed enough to be selected for World Cup qualifying matches against Ethiopia and Egypt on November 15 and 19, respectively. 

The Leone Stars’ journey to qualifying for the FIFA World Cup 2026 in the USA, Mexico and Canada will begin in November 2023.

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2026 World Cup Qualifying Groups Africa Zone Opponents Group A Sierra Leone, Egypt, Burkina-Faso Guinea-Bissau, Ethiopia, Djibouti
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

World Cup Q: Ethiopia to host Sierra Leone in Morocco

The Mohammed V Stadium in Casablanca will host Sierra Leone’s 2026 World Cup opening qualifier against the Walia Ibex of Ethiopia on Wednesday, 15th of November 2023, the SLFA have announced.

The Leone Stars’ second match in the race to the USA, Mexico and Canada is against the Pharaohs of Egypt. The tie is set to be played in the Liberian Capital, Monrovia, on Sunday, 19th November 2023.

Group A comprised of Egypt, Burkina-Faso, Guinea-Bissau, Sierra Leone, Ethiopia, and Djibouti. 

During the 2022 World Cup preliminary, Liberia eliminated Sierra Leone 3-2 on aggregate after the Lone Star won the first leg 3-1 and suffered a 1-0 defeat in Freetown, both matches played in September 2019.

Sierra Leone played to a 1-1 draw against Benin on October 14th before defeating Somalia 2-0 in a recent training camp in Morocco three days later.

However, with the latest format of 48 teams competing with a minimum of nine African sides guaranteed places for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, many Sierra Leoneans believe this is Leone Stars’ best chance ever.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is the 23rd FIFA World Cup to be co-hosted in three countries, Canada, Mexico and the United States. 

The nine groups will play a home and away, starting in November this year. They will take place over ten matchdays during the next two years: 13-21 November 2023 – 3-11 June 2024; 17-25 March 2025; 1-9 September 2025; 6-14 October 2025; 10-18 November 2025 (Playoffs).

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Sierra Leone confirm 2026 World Qualifying dates and venues
Sierra Leone confirm 2026 World Qualifying dates and venues
Mustapha Bundu opens Plymouth Argyle Championship account
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Mustapha Bundu opens Plymouth Argyle Championship account

Sierra Leone International Mustapha Bundu opened his English Championship account in Plymouth Argyle 3-0 over Sheffield Wednesday.

Argyle manager Steven Schumacher handed Bundu his first start after he made just two changes from the weekend draw at West Brom, captain Joe Edwards returning for Mickel Miller and a first start for Bundu in place of Hardie.

Mustapha Bundu accounted for their first in the 44th minute as Argyle returned to winning ways. Morgan Whittaker doubled the host lead in first-half stoppage time.

“It’s up there in the top two or top three,” Bundu told BBC Sport.“It was an amazing feeling, the whole situation, my first start at home in front of the fans, in a game where we weren’t really on top.

“To get that free-kick and to score and give everyone a breather was nice.”

Ryan Hardie scored the highest third as he completed the win with a low right-footed finish in the second half after Finn Azaz had dispossessed George Byers and played the Scottish striker in.

The win is Argyle’s first in five games to lift them to 18th place in the Championship table as winless Wednesday remain bottom with three points from their first 13 games.

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Tonight's player of the match as selected by match sponsors Adrenalin Leisure, is Mustapha Bundu.
Tonight's player of the match as selected by match sponsors Adrenalin Leisure, is Mustapha Bundu.
Foreign scouts visit Sierra Leone football chief Daddy Brima.
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Foreign scouts visit Sierra Leone football chief Daddy Brima

On Tuesday, International football scouts who were in Sierra Leone to witness the U17 and U19 talent Detection tournament organised by Star Sports Academy paid a courtesy call to the Sierra Leone football chief, Thomas Daddy Brima.

In a bid to expand the International football relationship, the Sierra Leone Football Association President, Daddy Brima, engaged the scouts from Türkiye, Slovakia, Sudan and Bulgaria at the FA secretariat.

President Brima was pleased and described their visit as ” timely and impactful towards the growth and development of players in the country.”

He further assured them of the Sierra Leone Football Association’s unreserved support and cooperation throughout their scouting activities within the country.

Meanwhile, Eight of the sixteen teams that participated were from outside Sierra Leone. Academy GFI from Guinea emerged as the Detection tournament champions held at the Southern Arena in Bo following a 5-3 penalty shootout victory over Star Sports Academy of Sierra Leone.

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Academy GFI from Guinea emerged as the Detection tournament champions held at the Southern Arena in Bo following a 5-3 penalty shootout victory over Star Sports Academy of Sierra Leone.
Academy GFI from Guinea emerged as the Detection tournament champions held at the Southern Arena in Bo following a 5-3 penalty shootout victory over Star Sports Academy of Sierra Leone.