Author: Alie Bittar @bittar32

Tyrese Fornah's Northampton to kick start Emirates FA Cup first round proper against Lincoln
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Tyrese Fornah’s Northampton to kick start The Emirates FA Cup first round proper against Oldham Athletic

Sierra Leone International Tyrese Fornah and his Northampton Town team will kick off their Emirates FA Cup journey on Saturday with a match against Oldham Athletic in the first round. The match is set to start at 3pm.

Sierra Leone international Tyrese Fornah and his Northampton Town team will kick off their Emirates FA Cup journey on Saturday with a match against Oldham Athletic in the first round. The match is set to start at 3 pm.

Oldham is currently competing in Sky Bet League Two, positioned 18th with a record of three wins, seven draws, and four losses from 14 league matches this season.

Their most recent game saw Joe Garner score in the dying moments of stoppage time to secure a 2-2 draw against Shrewsbury Town at home.

Manager Micky Mellon has been in charge for just over two years. He took the helm in October 2023 and led Oldham to promotion back to the EFL last season, achieving a 3-2 victory over Southend United in the National League play-off final. In his playing career, the 53-year-old represented clubs such as Blackpool, Burnley, and Tranmere Rovers as a midfielder.

Battles Between Teams

The two teams have faced each other 41 times, with their first encounter occurring in 1959, resulting in a 2-1 victory for the Cobblers in Division Four.

The Cobblers have triumphed over their opponents 15 times, while there have been 10 draws and 16 wins for the Latics.

In their last match in April 2022, Jon Guthrie and Louis Appere found the net, leading the Cobblers to a 2-0 away victory in League Two.

Kamil Conteh's Bristol Rovers take on Bromley Emirates FA Cup
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Kamil Conteh’s Bristol Rovers take on Bromley in Emirates FA Cup

Bristol Rovers will kick off their Emirates FA Cup journey with an away match against fellow Sky Bet League Two team Bromley at the CopperJax Community Stadium.

Last season, the Gas advanced to the third round, defeating Weston-super-Mare 3-1 after extra time in their initial match. They then won against Barnsley on penalties, leading to a game against the then Premier League team Ipswich Town at Portman Road, where they suffered a 3-0 loss.

Rovers are looking to turn their fortunes around after four consecutive defeats in Sky Bet League Two, including a recent 4-0 loss to Crawley Town.

Bromley, on the other hand, is riding high after beating promotion hopefuls Milton Keynes Dons, thanks to goals from Rushian Hepburn-Murphy, Deji Elerewe, and Omar Sowunmi.

Bromley’s promotion to Sky Bet League Two in the 2023/24 season was dramatic, culminating in a playoff victory at Wembley, where they earned their first appearance in the fourth tier in history under manager Andy Woodman. Michael Cheek was a standout player, scoring 25 goals last season.

So far in the 2025/26 campaign, Bromley has collected 21 points from 14 games and secured two wins in their last three. Last season, they reached the third round of the Emirates FA Cup before facing Newcastle United.

Rovers and Bromley have met twice in official matches during the 2019/20 Emirates FA Cup, with Rovers winning 1-0 in the replay after a goalless draw.

The Emirates FA Cup match will take place at the CopperJax Community Stadium on Saturday, 1 November 2025, with kick-off scheduled for 3:00 pm.

Mustapha Bundu's Hannover share spoils with SV Elversberg
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Mustapha Bundu’s Hannover share spoils with SV Elversberg

Mustapha Bundu's side Hannover 96 in Germany's 2. Bundesliga played to a 2-2 draw against SV Elversberg in week eleven of the second tier season.

As a result, Elversberg remain unbeaten at home in the league this season, but missed the chance to go top – overnight at least – after twice being pegged back by Hannover.

Lukas Petkov headed in the opening goal to put the hosts in front, only for a Florian Le Joncour own goal to bring Hannover level late in the first half.

Hannover’s Enzo Leopold fired against the woodwork before Bambasé Conté restored Elversberg’s lead after Petkov’s penalty had been saved by Nahuel Noll.

Virgil Ghiță then headed in Leopold’s cross to rescue a share of the spoils for the promotion-chasing Reds with five minutes of normal time remaining.

Bundu, who signed a three-year contract with Hannover 96 for the 2025-26 season, started the contest but was subbed off in the 72nd minute.

Sierra Leone native Amara Nallo sent off in defeat to Crystal Palace
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Sierra Leone native Amara Nallo sent off in defeat to Crystal Palace

Sierra Leonean native and Liverpool defender Amara Nallo received a red card merely 12 minutes after entering the match as a substitute in 3-0 defeat against Crystal Palace – marking his second dismissal in both appearances for the club so far.

The 18-year-old substituted for Alexis Mac Allister in the 67th minute of Wednesday’s Carabao Cup loss at Anfield, but got a straight red card in the 79th minute for tackling Palace’s Justin Devenny, who was about to go one-on-one with the goalkeeper.

It was an unfortunate night for Nallo, who made his senior debut for Arne Slot’s team during the 3-2 Champions League loss at PSV Eindhoven in January.

In that match, he came on for Jayden Danns in the 83rd minute but was sent off just four minutes later for preventing a clear scoring chance, which Slot described as a ‘cruel’ situation.

The red card on Wednesday means he has been expelled twice in only 16 minutes of professional play for Liverpool.

Nallo joined Liverpool in August 2023 after developing through the West Ham academy and has regularly appeared for the Under-21 team.

Zambia part ways with Avram Grant ahead of AFCON
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Zambia part ways with Avram Grant ahead of AFCON

The Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) has announced that they have parted ways with Chipolopolo coach Avram Grant by mutual agreement.

Zambia is in search of a new head coach, 53 days to AFCON, after they parted ways with Avram Grant. His sacking is a result of a poor run in the World Cup qualifiers led to this decision.

FAZ general secretary Machacha Shepande indicated in a statement that both sides consented to this separation to create a new direction for the Chipolopolo. “The Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) has reached an agreement to mutually separate from Zambia’s Senior Men’s National Team coach Avram Grant.

Both parties decided to part ways, with FAZ wishing Mr Grant all the best in his future pursuits,” stated Shepande. “Further details will be shared in due time. For now, we can only express our gratitude to MMrGrant for his contributions to Zambian football.”

FAZ appointed Grant as the head coach on December 22, 2022, with a two-year contract. He led the team to qualify for two consecutive AFCON tournaments in the 2024 and 2025/26 editions.

Zambia is set to compete in the Morocco 2025 AFCON tournament, where the Chipolopolo will be in Group A alongside Morocco, Mali, and Comoros.

HISTORY -Cape Verde reach first-ever Women's Cup of Nations
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

HISTORY: Cape Verde reach first-ever Women’s Cup of Nations

Cape Verdean football is thriving, with the men's team qualifying for the FIFA World Cup 2026™ and the women's team reaching the TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco for the first time.
  • The participating 12 nations for the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations have been revealed. This continental competition will act as a qualifying event for the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil in 2027.  
  • The teams that reach the semi-finals of WAFCON will gain direct qualification to Brazil, while two additional teams will enter the FIFA Play-Off Tournament.

In a tough contest, the Cape Verdean women defeated Mali 4–3 on aggregate to secure their spot in the tournament. This accomplishment shows the growth of women’s football in Cape Verde.

In the first leg, held in Praia, the match did not start well for coach Silvéria Nédio and her team. Mali, with more experience, took control and won 1–0, thanks to a goal from Coumba Dembélé in the 81st minute. This left Cape Verde with a tough challenge for the return leg.

In the second leg in Bamako, in front of a supportive Malian crowd, Cape Verde showed strong offensive skills. Larissa Melo scored the first goal in the 14th minute, followed quickly by Ivânia Moreira in the 17th minute. Elia Vieira added a third goal in the 24th minute, and a Malian own goal made it 4–0 for Cape Verde.

Although Oumou Koné scored twice for Mali, the match ended 4–2, giving Cape Verde a historic victory and a spot in the 2026 Women’s AFCON with an aggregate score of 4–3.

Road to the TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, Morocco 2026:

First round:

– First leg: Guinea 0–0 Cape Verde

– Second leg: Cape Verde 1–4 Guinea

Second round:

– First leg: Mali 1–0 Cape Verde

– Second leg: Cape Verde 4–2 Mali

Aggregate score: Cape Verde wins 4–3

Bo Rangers host Star Sport Academy in pre-season friendy
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Bo Rangers to host Star Sport Academy in pre-season friendly

On Thursday, the Star Sport Academy will take on the Bo Rangers in an exhilarating training match as both teams prepare for the upcoming 2025/2026 Sierra Leone Premier League season.

The contest is set to begin at 4 PM at the Bo Coronation field. Under Coach Amidu Karim’s leadership, the team will start preparing for the upcoming season by facing off against the former champions, Bo Rangers.

This match presents an excellent opportunity for Coach Karim to assess some of the talented newcomers he has added to the squad as they work to establish a solid foundation for the season ahead.

The matchup not only promises to challenge some of the recently signed players but also gives them a chance to demonstrate their skills as the team gears up for the new campaign.

The contest is set to begin at 4 PM at the Bo Coronation field
The contest is set to begin at 4 PM at the Bo Coronation field
Augustus Kargbo return with injury worse than expected - Blackburn Rovers
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Augustus Kargbo returns with injury worse than expected – Blackburn Rovers

Blackburn head coach Valerien Ismael has announced that Sierra Leone international Augustus Kargbo will be out for 12 weeks due to a more serious injury than initially thought, following his return from international duty.

The Blackburn Rovers striker sustained an injury while with Sierra Leone during the October break. However, he made substitute appearances in matches against Coventry and Sheffield United.

Kargbo reported ongoing pain, and a scan following the midweek match showed a tear that will keep him out for approximately three months. “Sadly, he is injured,” Ismael told BBC Radio Lancashire.

“He is another one. He came back from the national team with a dead leg. He played at Coventry with this discomfort and against Sheffield United.

“He was complaining, and so we did a scan on Wednesday. He had an injury, and that will rule him out for at least 12 weeks. It was very tough for us to deal with that situation again.

“It’s a tear when he got kicked, which caused the dead leg. In an area where you can’t run or sprint. It was very bad news for him and for us.”

As a result, he missed Blackburn Rovers’ first home win on Saturday and his first of more matches on the sideline.

Egypt’s Mohamed Salah and Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi in race for CAF Men’s Award
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Egypt’s Mohamed Salah and Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi in race for CAF Men’s Award

Mohamed Salah is among 10 footballers nominated at the CAF Awards 2025 for the men’s Player of the Year award.
Salah, who captains Egypt’s national team, is in the running for the top honour at the African football awards, set for later this year. Last season, he played a key role in Liverpool’s 20th Premier League win and became their third-highest scorer ever.
Between January 6 and October 15, 2025, Salah scored 16 goals and made nine assists for Liverpool, and added four goals and one assist for Egypt.
Achraf Hakimi is also nominated for Africa’s top men’s player award. He helped Morocco win a bronze medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics and had a standout season with Paris Saint-Germain, winning the Champions League and all three major French trophies in the 2024-25 season.
At 26, Hakimi is the only defender on the shortlist. Nigeria’s Victor Osimhen is also nominated after an impressive first season with Galatasaray in Türkiye, where he won the league title.
Players from eight African countries are up for the men’s award. Guinea’s Serhou Guirassy is among them, as well as Senegal’s Iliman Ndiaye and Pape Matar Sarr, who both play in the Premier League.
The 2025 CAF Awards will also crown a Goalkeeper of the Year, Coach of the Year, Interclub Player of the Year, Young Player of the Year, Club of the Year, and National Team of the Year.

CAF Awards 2025 – Men’s Player of the Year nominees

  • André-Frank Zambo-Anguissa (Cameroon/Napoli)
  • Fiston Mayele (DR Congo/Pyramids)
  • Mohamed Salah (Egypt/Liverpool)
  • Denis Bouanga (Gabon/Los Angeles FC)
  • Serhou Guirassy (Guinea/Borussia Dortmund)
  • Achraf Hakimi (Morocco/Paris Saint-Germain)
  • Oussama Lamlioui (Morocco/RS Berkane)
  • Victor Osimhen (Nigeria/Galatasaray)
  • Iliman Ndiaye (Senegal/Everton)
  • Pape Matar Sarr (Senegal/Tottenham Hotspur)
Striker Amadou Bakayoko eyes playoff spot with Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Striker Amadou Bakayoko eyes playoff spot with Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo

Sierra Leone International Amadou Bakayoko, who has scored seven goals for Japanese second-tier side Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo, is hoping to help the team earn a playoff spot.

On Saturday, Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo will take on Mito Hollyhock in round 34, aiming to maintain their winning mindset following their recent 2-0 win against Kataller Toyama.

“This season has been challenging, but we secured a victory in our last match and hopefully, we can keep that momentum going on Saturday. The goal is to secure a spot in the promotion playoffs,” the striker remarked.

Currently, they are 10 points behind the top six teams with five matches remaining before the season concludes.

On 28 July 2024, J1 League club Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo announced they had signed Bakayoko. He made his debut on 16 August as a substitute, and scored his first goal from the penalty spot in a 5–3 win over Sagan Tosu.