Author: Alie Bittar @bittar32

British-born Harry Varley set for SFEF's coaching program
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

British-born Harry Varley set for SFEF’s coaching program

British-born Harry Varley has agreed to be a special coaching educator in partnering with the Sports for Empowerment Foundation (SFEF) in Sierra Leone. 

Varley, 33, is a coach educator with 15 years of experience developing elite and grassroots youth development programs around the world. 

The African Football Recruitment specialist is a Leeds University graduate who has worked for several International organisations like the Right to Dream Academy in Ghana and Heads of Women’s Football in Grenada.

“Our role as a coach is to create problem solvers. The players should leave our program with the technical skills and decision making ability to allow them to independently find solutions to the complex problems that make up a 90 minute game of football,” Varley explained while speaking to SFEF media. 

The SFEF Grassroots coaches and management training will be rolled out from the 14th of October 2023 across Sierra Leone for up to three weeks.

SFEF tutoring will cut across the West African state areas like Lungi Port Loko District, Makeni in the Northern Province, Moyamba, Bo Southern Province, Kenema, Kailuhun, Kono Eastern Province of Sierra Leone., Kamakwei Karene District in Chiefdom Sella Limba.

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Sport For Empowerment Foundation Sierra Leone to kick start coaching tutoring and management training in October.
Sport For Empowerment Foundation Sierra Leone to kick start coaching tutoring and management training in October.
On Saturday, the Rams registered two straight victories in their Sky Bet League One and first away league win at Carlisle since 1957.
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Midfielder Tyrese Fornah’s Derby triumph at Carlisle

On Saturday, the Rams registered an away win in the Sky Bet League One, their first away league win at Carlisle since 1957.

James Collins accounted for his 200th goal in club football to help Derby to a first away league win at Carlisle since 1957.

Sierra Leone native Tyrese Fornah has been pivotal for the Rams since joining the club from Nottingham Forest on a two-year deal in August 2023.

It was Fornah’s (In Photo) fifth appearance for Derby in all competitions as one of the holding midfielders this campaign for the Rams.

James Collins got Derby off the mark in the 18 minutes before his second in their 2-0 win for Paul Warne’s men with an 84th-minute penalty at Brunton Park.

Potent striker Collins scored for the second league game in a row as he powered home from Nathaniel Mendez-Laing’s cutback.

After the goal, Collins was full of confidence and fired over just moments later.

Derby County return to Sky Bet League One action at Pride Park Stadium a week today when they take on Cambridge United in Sky Bet League One (3 pm kick-off).

Connect with us @football_sierra on Facebook/ Instagram, Football Sierra Leone, Contact fo*****************@******co.uk – Tyrese Fornah Derby County League One. 

Alpha Conteh scores brace for Lokomotiv Plovdiv in win over Slavia Sofia
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Alpha Conteh nets brace for Lokomotiv Plovdiv

Sierra Leone midfielder Alpha Cinteh scored a brace for Lokomotiv Plovdiv in their 2-0 win over Slavia Sofia in the Bulgarian professional first league on Saturday.

Following a goalless first half, Conteh’s opened the scoring in the 70th minute before he doubled their lead two minutes later with a composed finish. It was his third goal in the last ten games of the campaign.

Conteh’s first came after Velko Jelenkovic lost the one-on-one battle on the left flank as Conteh entered the Slavia penalty area and shot unsavable diagonally into the bottom corner.

Two minutes later, Conte completed his brace after receiving the ball, running past Jelenkovic again and finishing with his right foot past Vutsov.

As a result, Lokomotiv Plovdiv maintained their lead at the top after winning their last five top-tier matches. 

Connect with us @football_sierra – on Facebook/ Instagram, Football Sierra Leone, and Players Abroad News  Bulgarian League Parva Liga.

Striker Amadou Bakayoko nets in draw against Kilmarnock
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Striker Amadou Bakayoko nets in draw against Kilmarnock 

Sierra Leone Striker Amadou Bakayoko opened the scoring for Dundee in the 16th minute in their 2-2 draw at the Dens Parks on Saturday. 

Dundee’s smart start as Bakayoko knocked in at the back post after a Joe Shaughnessy flick-on. But Kilmarnock responded with a Danny Armstrong’s strike at the hour mark to draw parity. 

Danny Armstrong doubled the visitors lead in the 81st minute as it looked to have given Kilmarnock all three points when he tapped home Andrew Dallas’ cross at the back post.

However, Zak Rudden’s 92nd-minute strike ensured a point for 10-man Dundee as they clawed Kilmarnock back in a Scottish Premiership thriller at Dens Park.

Bakayoko on a season-long loan from Forest Green, making his seventh appearance for the Dark Blues in the Scottish Premiership.

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Striker Amadou Bakayoko nets in draw against Kilmarnock
Striker Amadou Bakayoko nets in draw against Kilmarnock
New Egaleo deal for midfielder John Kamara in Greece
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

New Egaleo deal for midfielder John Kamara in Greece

Greek Super League 2 side Egaleo has announced midfielder John Kamara has signed a new deal for the 2023-24 season.

The midfielder signed for the 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.

“PAE AEGALEO 1931 announces with great pleasure the renewal of its cooperation with John Bankole Kamara from Sierra Leone.

The 34-year-old international African midfielder joined our team last January, and in the 11 appearances he made with the “blue and white” Kamara showed excellent elements which “kept” him at City and the new season.”

Egaleo is to kick start their new season with an away trip to Tilikratis Lefkada on Sunday.

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New Egaleo deal for midfielder John Kamara in Greece
New Egaleo deal for midfielder John Kamara in Greece
George Davies' Flyeralarm share spoils in League derby
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

George Davies’ Flyeralarm share spoils in Liga 2 derby

In front of their home fans, Flyeralarm Admira came from behind twice to rescue a point against visitors SKN St. Polten in the 8th round of Liga 2 in Austria.

Sierra Leone International George Davies started the contest against former side SKN St. Polten and played the full throttle at the BSFZ Arena on Friday. 

The draw means Polten from the Lower Austrian capital missed on a temporary top-of-the-table spot.

Bernd Gschweidl had opened the scoring for the visitors just before the hour mark, but Georg Teigl, after an impressive offensive action, got the leveller in the 43rd minute.

B. Gschweidl doubled the score line in the 71-minute, putting Polten ahead before Patrick Schmidt drew parity for Polten six minutes later. 

There were no more goals between the two arch-rivals as they ended 2-2 after the final whistle. 

George Davies departed the Polten on January 6, 2023, to join FC Flyeralarm Admira despite being a fan favourite for over five years after he amassed almost 100 games for St. Pölten.

From the first second, it was a competitive game. The Panthers had the first dangerous goal area scene, but captain Zwierschitz headed past the goal (3rd).

Lineups and Match Info

FC Flyeralarm Admira: Haas; Schöller (85./Stevanovic), Zwierschitz, Puchegger (59./Keckeisen; Teigl (76./Puczka), Galle, Malicsek, Anderson; Davies, Young (59./Schmidt), Gashi (76./Rasner)

SK St. Pölten: proud; Messerer, Gschweidl (76./Schütz), Nitta (59./Monzialo), Ramsebner, Riegler, Carlson, Tadic, Keiblinger, Dombaxi, Barlov (59./Scharner)

Goals: 0:1 Gschweidl (29th), 1:1 Teigl (43rd), 1:2 Gschweidl (71st), 2:2 Schmidt (77th)

Yellow card: Puchegger (7th), Malicsek (76th), Zwierschitz (80th); Ramsebner (35th), Dombaxi (37th), Monzialo (80th)

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Hafia prepares for Wydad's Champions League away cracker
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Hafia prepares for Wydad’s Champions League away cracker

Guinean side Hafia FC continues their preparation for the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League second round second leg in Morocco next Saturday.

The North Africans have dominated the Inter-club competition in the last decade. Having won it in 2022, Wydad will make it a cracking showdown for the West African side.

Hafia FC came from behind to salvage a 1-1 draw in their first leg against Wydad Casablanca at the General Lansana Conté de Nongo Stadium on Sunday.

Wydad took the lead after Bouly Junior’s header from a free kick in the 8th minute. The home side levelled the scoreline through Mohamed Damaro Camara just before the break. 

In the second half, both teams were unable to find the winner to set up a very tough second-leg cracker.

Last season’s runners-up, Wydad Casablanca, to host the return fixture in Morocco on the 30th for a place in the group stages.

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First-leg scoreline between Hafia and Wydad Athletic Club
First-leg scoreline between Hafia and Wydad Athletic Club
Defender Alex Bangura makes Middlesbrough debut
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Middlesbrough debut defeat for Alex Bangura 

On Saturday, Sierra Leone International Alex Bnagura made his Middlesbrough debut in their 2-1 defeat against Blackburn Rovers at Edwood Park.

The former Cambuur left-back started his first English Championship match for Middleborough but was not able to help his side avoid defeat.

Sammie Szmodics’ double strike gave Blackburn a vital win as they marked the 5,000th league game in their history.

The midfielder scored in either half to keep Boro anchored to the bottom spot with five defeats from six.

Matt Crooks gave Boro hope with a goal in an end-to-end game in which both teams missed a host of chances.

Rovers became only the seventh English club to play 5,000 league games and moved up to eighth.

Alex Bangura Middlesbrough FC English Championship 

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Dreams v FC Kallon first leg action at the Accra Sports Stadium
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Dreams FC reject FC Kallon’s Southern Arena request

Ghanaian club Dreams FC have rejected FC Kallon’s request to play their CAF Confederation Cup second round second leg at the Southern Arena.

Dreams won the first leg by 2-1 at the Accra Sports Stadium on Saturday, and the return fixture was billed to be played at the Southern Arena in Bo City.

In a communique seen by this medium, Dreams emphasised that they will not grant FC kallon its consent to have played in Sierra Leone.


“Dreams FC wants to re-emphasis its position that it will not grant FC Kallon its concent to have the aforesaid match played at their preferred venue in Bo City.”

Consequently, we would be grateful for the confirmation of an alternate venue that meets the requirements and regulations governing this competition within the shortest possible time in order for us to finalise our plans for the match.”

It’s all to play for in the second round second leg as Kallon will look to surpass last season after they were eliminated in this stage by FC Future of Egypt.

Dreams reached this competition stage after a 3-2 aggregate victory over Milo FC of Guinea in August. 

The second preliminary round of return fixtures is on 30 September 2023, as Karim Zito’s side faces an uphill task away from home. FC Kallon, Dreams will now played at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Stadium.

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Bo Rangers suffer a heavy Champions League home defeat
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Bo Rangers suffer a heavy Champions League home defeat

Sierra Leone Champions Bo Rangers suffered a 3-1 home defeat to  Algerian side CR Belouizdad in the first leg of the second preliminary round of the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League on Sunday at the Southern Arena.

Rangers started well and capitalised in the 11-minute as Abu Komeh opened his CAF Champions League account.

However, the Algerian side regrouped and started passing the ball with more agility. They levelled the scoreline in the 42nd minute through Ben Tahar Meziane to silence the home fans.

After the recess, It was an end-to-end affair as both teams rallied to get a second goal of the day. The visitors took the lead through Algerian forward Ousama Darfalou just seven minutes after the break.

Oussama Darfalou recorded his brace in the 80th minute as he gave his side a 3-1 away goal advantage. 

As a result, Bo Rangers face a giant second-leg task. The return fixture is set to be played at the Oran Olympic Stadium in Algeria on September 30th 2023.

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