Author: @football_sierra

Football Sierra Leone, all you need to know about the game in Sierra Leone and Sierra Leonean players at home and Abroad.The award-winning website also covers football from across the continent.
Senegal eye first win in Group L in AFCON qualifier
by @football_sierra

Senegal eye first win from Group L in AFCON qualifier

Senegal will try to recover from a slow start in their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying campaign when they play against Burundi in a Group L match at the Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe, Malawi, on Monday, 9 September.

In their last game, Senegal looked like they were going to win at home against Burkina Faso, but gave up a late goal, ending in a 1-1 draw.

Senegal’s coach, Aliou Cisse, was disappointed with the result but defended the team’s game plan.

On the other hand, Burundi comes into the match as the Group L leaders after securing a 3-2 away win over Malawi.

In their history of playing against each other, Senegal has won three out of four matches against Burundi, and their most recent meeting in June 2016 resulted in a 2-0 victory for Senegal.

Goalless in Dar es Salaam between Tanzania and Ethiopia
by @football_sierra

Goalless in Dar es Salaam between Tanzania and Ethiopia

Tanzania and Ethiopia began their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualification with a goalless draw in Dar es Salaam. The match in Group H featured few clear chances due to physical battles and cautious play from both sides at Benjamin Mkapa National Stadium.

In the opening minutes, both teams lacked attacking urgency. Tanzania managed a few goal attempts, but Ethiopian goalkeeper Seid Habtamu Aregawi was largely untroubled.

In contrast, Ethiopia found space on the flanks but encountered formidable resistance from the Tanzanian defence.

The first half concluded with neither side able to breach the opposition’s defence, resulting in an unchanged scoreline of 0-0. At halftime, Tanzania made a substitution by bringing on Pascal Msindo, while Ethiopia introduced Binyam Fikre and Adis Giday.

Consequently, Tanzania dominated possession in the second half, exerting pressure on the Ethiopian defence. However, the Walyas remained resilient, thwarting the Taifa Stars’ attempts to score.

The match saw an increase in Tanzania’s tempo – which nearly led to a breakthrough, but their efforts lacked precision, culminating in a tense 0-0 draw.

In Tripoli, Libya and Rwanda tied 1-1 in their Group D opener. Libya’s Sobhi Al-Dawi scored in the 16th minute, but Rwanda’s Innocent Ntshwe equalized early in the second half.

Despite both teams trying to secure a win, the match ended in a draw, with each team earning a point.

AFCON Qualifiers Heat Up: Zambia Takes on Sierra Leone
by @football_sierra

AFCON Qualifiers Heat Up: Zambia ready for Sierra Leone

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The qualifications for the 35th AFCON have started. The tournament’s final stage will be held in Morocco from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026. This will be the second time Morocco hosts AFCON, with the first being in 1988.

The Moroccan national team is participating in the qualifiers, striving to replicate Côte d’Ivoire’s achievement of winning the championship on home soil in February 2024. The Ivorians stunned the world by finishing the group stage with only 3 points and a poor goal difference of 2-5.

They changed their coach, braced themselves for the worst, but miraculously advanced to the playoffs and delivered an incredible performance.

Each AFCON promises new, amazing stories, so stay tuned! The desire to prove themselves and please the fans unites all the qualification participants. We want to announce the hot struggle between Zambia and Sierra Leone that will bring us intrigue and an unforgettable spectacle.

Zambia did not hire Avram Grant as head coach to lose five out of five games this summer. The renowned Israeli manager has a chance to start from scratch in the Afcon qualification.

Chipolopolo is only interested in winning. However, Sierra Leone’s team earned a respectable draw in an away match against Burkina Faso and a win over Djibouti in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers in June, showing that they are not as simple as they might seem and will not easily give up.

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Tyrese Fornah features in Salford's first win of the season
by @football_sierra

Tyrese Fornah features in Salford’s first win of the season

Salford City got their first win of the season thanks to a debut goal from Frankie Okoronkwo against MK Dons.

Sierra Leone International Tyrese Fornah played the full throttle of the games at the Peninsula Stadium and later expressed his satisfaction.

Okoronkwo, who joined on loan from Everton on deadline day, scored in the 42nd minute with a well-placed shot past Tom McGill.

During the first half, Salford had to withstand sustained pressure from the Dons, with Alex Gilbey’s shot saved by Jamie Jones in the first minute.

MK Dons’ Aaron Nemane caused plenty of problems for the hosts during the first 45 minutes, providing a pass to team-mate Joe Tomlinson, who was denied by hosts keeper Jones.

Jones made crucial saves, including deflecting a shot from Dons substitute Tommy Leigh onto a post, securing Salford’s victory.

Striker Sebastien Haller set to miss Zambia and Chad qualifier
by @football_sierra

Striker Sebastien Haller set to miss Zambia and Chad qualifiers

The Ivory Coast national football team will be without their key striker, Sebastien Haller, during the upcoming 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers.

The Elephants kick start their AFCON 2025 campaign against Zambia at home on Friday, September 6, and Chad away on Tuesday, September 10.

Sebastien Haller will not be available for these matches due to his recent loan transfer to Spanish La Liga side CD Leganes from German Bundesliga giants Borussia Dortmund.

Haller, who notably scored the winning goal in the 2023 AFCON final against Nigeria, has been replaced by France-based striker Jean-Philippe Krasso in the squad.

An official statement from the Ivorian Football Federation informed, “The federation Ivorian Football informs the press and the public that the player Sébastien Haller, summoned by Selector Emerse Faé for the 1st and 2nd Days of the 2025 AFCON qualifiers, will be unavailable due to his transfer to another club.”

It further stated, “Indeed, the Ivorian international, who transferred to Leganés (Spain) in the final moments of the Mercato, will be with his new club, especially for the medical examination.”

As a result, Sébastien Haller is replaced by Jean-Philippe Krasso of Paris FC for this FIFA window from September 2 to 10, 2024.

Norwich City’s Abu Kamara in Southampton radar
by @football_sierra

Striker Abu Kamara is ready for Hull City chapter

Hull City, an English Championship team, has signed 21-year-old Sierra Leonean native Abu Kamara on a four-year deal.

Kamara signed an undisclosed deal at the MKM Stadium, with a club option of a further year from Norwich City.

The fast winger played an important part in helping Portsmouth win the League One championship last season. He played in every league game and appeared in 52 matches in total.

He demonstrated his prowess by scoring 10 goals and providing 11 assists, with standout performances including a brace in a 3-0 triumph at Shrewsbury Town and a hat-trick of assists in a 4-1 victory against Reading.

Kamara made six impactful appearances for Norwich, scoring a memorable goal in a 4-3 EFL Cup triumph over Stevenage.

His journey with Norwich began at the early age of 10, culminating in signing his first professional deal in 2021. Notably, he achieved an impressive record for their youth teams, scoring 13 goals in just 15 Premier League 2 matches in the 2022/23 season.

CD Leganés will introduce Matija Nastasic and Sébastien Haller as new players on Tuesday, September 3, the Spanish side has confirmed.
by @football_sierra

CD Leganes set to unveil Ivorian striker Sebastien Haller

CD Leganés will introduce Matija Nastasic and Sébastien Haller as new players on Tuesday, September 3, the Spanish side has confirmed.

Borussia Dortmund has announced that Sebastien Haller has joined CD Leganes on loan for the rest of the 2024/25 season.

“The Serbian centre-back and the Ivorian forward, who was spotted training with his club – will be presented in an event starting at 12:30 pm at the Butarque Sports Centre.”

Haller joined Borussia Dortmund from Ajax in the summer of 2022 but was diagnosed with testicular cancer shortly after. After undergoing two surgeries and several rounds of chemotherapy, he returned to full training in early January 2023. So far, he has scored 12 goals in 41 appearances for the club.

BVB’s sporting director, Sebastian Kehl, expressed his pleasure at letting Haller go to play regular football, saying, “Now it’s important for Sebastien to play regularly again and feel the joy of celebrating goals as often as possible. He wants to make the most of the opportunity he now has in La Liga – and we wish him every success.”

Coach Amidu Karim names Sierra Leone team for Chad and Zambia
by @football_sierra

Coach Amidu Karim names squad for Chad and Zambia

Sierra Leone has announced a 25-man squad for African Cup of Nations matches against Chad and Zambia next month. The Leone Stars will host Chad on September 6th in Liberia and play against Zambia away on September 10th, 2024.

Coach Karim’s side is gearing up for Morocco 2025 with an exciting opening match against Les Sao of Chad, set to take place in Liberia.

The Leone Stars ranked 56 places higher than their opponents, will face off against Les Sao of CHAD at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Stadium on September 6th. Following this, they will confront Zambia’s Chipolopolo on the 9th for the second match-day at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium.

Only the top two teams from each group in the AFCON 2025 qualifiers will secure a spot in the final tournament.

The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations is set to take place in Morocco from December 2025 to January 2026.

Big football is back: the challenge for Serie A, Bundesliga & Premier League
by @football_sierra

The challenge for Serie A, Bundesliga & Premier League

Big football is back: the challenge for Serie A and Bundesliga champions and the Premier League main derby – the European top leagues have prepared several top struggles.

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Inter v Atalanta: the Nerazzurri’s struggle

The Black and Blues clash is always intriguing, both on and off the pitch.

Last season’s top scorer and Inter captain, Lautaro Martinez, was injured in the match against Genoa, missed the game with Lecce, and may not have time to recover for the Serie A third round.

It is a big loss for his team: Inter is still far from ideal and has got 4 points in the first two rounds. Atalanta had a great start, beating Lecce 4-0 at home, but then suffered a 1-2 defeat to Torino.

Gasperini also has personnel problems before the match with the champions – Giorgio Scalvini, Gianluca Scamacca, and Sead Kolašinac will not play.

But even with less-than-optimal lineups, Inter and Atalanta can show top-level football, and we recommend that you do not miss this spectacle.

Odds: W1 – 1.72, Х – 4.295, W2 – 4.97

Bayer Leverkusen v RB Leipzig: title contenders match

Both teams earned 3 points in the Bundesliga first round. Bayer had some problems beating Borussia Mönchengladbach away.

The Pharmacists were leading 2-0 but lost their advantage and heroically snatched victory thanks to Florian Wirtz’s efforts in the 90+11th minute.

The Alonso-time rule still works, but it doesn’t make things easier for Gladbach fans. RB Leipzig secured a narrow home win against Bochum. Central defender Willi Orban received a red card late in the game and will miss the match against Bayer.

An exciting clash of coaching philosophies awaits us at the BayArena on August 31. Who will be stronger – Marco Rose’s counter-pressing or Xabi Alonso’s intelligent and balanced football?

Odds: W1 – 1.879, Х – 4,26, W2 – 4.025

Manchester United v Liverpool: Premier League north-west derby On September 1, the most titled teams in England will play at Old Trafford.

Manchester United conducted a powerful transfer campaign and strengthened all lines except the goalkeeper. On the contrary, Liverpool was the most passive club on the market and entered the season with an old squad.

Arne Slot made a confident debut in the EPL: his team beat league newcomer Ipswich away (0-2) and earned 3 points at Anfield Road in the match against Brentford (2-0).

Erik ten Hag did not start so well: in the first rounds, Manchester United finished off Fulham (1-0) and lost to Brighton (1-2), although the Red Devils deserved a better result based on their game. The Premier League north-west derby will become even more important, as now the clubs are managed by coaches from the Netherlands.

Erik ten Hag and Arne Slot are well acquainted from the Eredivisie, and each will want to surprise their counterpart.

Odds: W1- 3.9, Х – 4.115, W2 – 1.9

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Sierra Leone's Tyrese Fornah is excited to join Salford City
by @football_sierra

Sierra Leone’s Tyrese Fornah ready for fresh start at Salford City

Sierra Leone international Tyrese Fornah is ready for a fresh start after joining League Two side Salford City FC on a season-long loan deal from Derby County for the 2024-25 season. The move is subject to FA and EFL ratification and approval.

The midfielder helped Derby win automatic promotion from League One with the Rams.

“I’m a dynamic soccer player who loves advancing the ball, creating excitement, and showcasing my skills.  I want to share joy with the fans and help the team win. The club’s ambition to get promoted aligns perfectly with mine. I believe this team can achieve promotion. Let’s get started,” Fornah told the club’s website.

The Sierra Leone international signed with the Rams from Nottingham Forest last summer. He played in 23 matches in all competitions as Paul Warne’s side secured promotion from the third tier.

However, he had limited playing time in the second half of last season, with his last league start coming in the 3-1 home win against Lincoln City in December 2023.

Fornah came off the bench as a late substitute in last Friday’s Sky Bet Championship season opener at Blackburn Rovers. He might make his Salford debut in their league match at Bradford City on Saturday.