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Sierra Leone Interclub representatives await CAF clearance to host matches
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Sierra Leone await clearance to host CAF Interclub matches

Sorie Ibrahim Sesay, the Director of Competitions and a CAF-certified stadium Inspector for the Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA), diligently inspected the Southern Arena on Saturday, July 20th, to ensure it meets the standards required for CAF approval.

Sierra Leone stadiums were not included in the initial list of approved stadiums by CAF for the 2024/25 Inter-Club competitions.

In August, Champions Bo Rangers FC and East End Lions Football Club are scheduled to participate in the CAF Champions League and Confederation Cup, respectively.

There is a chance that these matches could occur in Sierra Leone. This will depend on the review of the pre-inspection report by CAF in the coming days, which will determine the eligibility of the Southern Arena stadium for these important matches.

In the preliminary stages of the 2024/2025 CAF Confederation Cup, East End Lions will play against ASC Jaraaf from Senegal, and Bo Rangers will play against San-Pédro from Ivory Coast in the 2024/2025 CAF Champions League.

The first leg matches are scheduled for August 16th-18th – with the return fixtures taking place the following weekend.

Freetown City's relegation confirmed after the Disciplinary Committee's decision
by FSL News

Freetown City relegated after Disciplinary Committee’s decision

On July 19th, 2024, Freetown City suffered relegation from the Sierra Leone Premier League. This decision came after the league’s Disciplinary Committee awarded three points and two goals to Wilberforce Strikers.

On the second-to-last day of the league, a controversial penalty was awarded to Wilberforce Strikers in the 52nd minute while FCFC was leading 1-0. As a result of this decision, the match was halted and subsequently abandoned by the referee.

FCFC has forfeited the match. As a result, 3 points and 2 goals have been awarded to Wilberforce Strikers FC by Rule 24.2 paragraphs b, c, and d, reports the Emergency Disciplinary and Protest Committee.

Several fines and suspensions were imposed on FCFC players, coaches, and management due to the incident. Additionally, FCFC has been fined 10 million Leones for the collective misconduct of its players, officials, and supporters.

The Secretary General of FCFC expressed disappointment with the decision and stated that the club will challenge it through established mechanisms to ensure justice.

https://twitter.com/football_sierra/status/1814606173993144383

New East End Lions Coach Mohamed Lamin aim to restore glory.
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

New East End Lions Coach Mohamed Kamara aims to restore glory

The newly appointed coach of East End Lions, Mohamed Lamin Kamara, has expressed his aim to bring the club back to its former glory of winning championships and consistently competing for honours.

“We are thrilled to announce the appointment of Mohamed Lamin Kamara (ML) as our new Head Coach on a two-year contract, with the option to extend for an additional year,” stated the management of the East End club.

Coach Kamara and his team will focus on helping the club as they prepare to face tough competition as they take on ASC Jaraaf from Senegal in the preliminary stages of the 2024/2025 CAF Confederation Cup.

The first leg will be hosted by The Killers between the 16th and 18th of August, followed by a trip to Senegal to face Association Sportive et Culturelle Jaraaf the following weekend.

Speaking about the task ahead, Kamara emphasized the immense effort needed to build trust and confidence and deliver positive results.

“My leadership is open to collaborating with all those who are dedicated to the club’s success, in order to tackle these challenges to the best of our ability,” the former Wusum boss explained. “My vision is to rejuvenate the success of East End Lions at all levels, by establishing structures and achieving the required results.”

“I believe I have the necessary experience to lead the Lions, and with freedom in technical matters and support in other areas, our collective experience will help us reach our objectives.”

Lions also announced that the coach will oversee the backroom staff, focusing on player development, winning games and trophies, and maintaining discipline among players.

The club is fully committed to providing the necessary resources to support the coach and is confident that his leadership will lead to great success for the team.

In addition, one of Sierra Leone’s most distinguished clubs revealed that Abdul Karim Bangura (Mexes) will serve as Assistant Coach 1, Abdul Rahim Sheriff (Bellamy) as Assistant Coach 2, and former player Alie Jaward as the club’s new Goalkeeper Coach.

Bo Rangers face San Pedro as EE Lions meet ASC Jaraaf
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Bo Rangers face San Pedro as EE Lions meet ASC Jaraaf

Sierra Leone’s East End Lions and Bo Rangers will play West African teams in the Caf Confederation Cup and Caf Champions League in August.

Get ready for an exciting match-up as the Sierra Leone Champions Bo Rangers take on the Ivorian side San Pedro in the preliminary stages of the 2024/2025 CAF Champions League.

Mark your calendars for the matches scheduled between the 16th and 18th of August, with a thrilling trip to Ivory Coast the following weekend.

Under the guidance of Coach John Keister, the team aims to continue their winning streak and advance to the group stages of the prominent inter-club competition in Africa.

The winner between Rangers and San Pedro will face the winner between Al Hilal of Sudan and Libya 2 in the second round of the competition in September.

In the last competition’s second round, they were knocked out by Algerian team CR Belouizdad with a 6-2 aggregate score over two matches.

In the upcoming CAF Confederation Cup, East End Lions will be facing off against ASC Jaraaf from Senegal in the initial stage of the 2024/2025 Inter-club competition.

The first match will be hosted by The Killers from the 16th to the 18th of August, followed by a trip to Senegal to compete against Association Sportive et Culturelle Jaraaf the following weekend.

The victor between Union Touarga Sportif (UTS) or Racing Club d’Abidjan will confront the winner of East End Lions or ASC Jaraaf in the second-round qualifiers.

The CAF Interclub men’s competitions are gaining popularity in African club football, drawing larger global TV audiences due to the increasing quality of African football.

In the previous season, reigning champions Al Ahly SC extended their TotalEnergies CAF Champions League title to a record-extending 12, while their arch-rivals Zamalek were crowned champions of the CAF Confederation Cup for the second time.

Full CAF Champions League first and second-round draws in the preliminary stages of the 2024/2025 Interclub competition.
Full CAF Champions League first and second-round draws in the preliminary stages of the 2024/2025 Interclub competition.
Full CAF Confederation Cup Draw in the first round preliminary stages of the 2024/2025 Interclub competition.
Full CAF Confederation Cup Draw in the first round preliminary stages of the 2024/2025 Interclub competition.
Southern Province side Bo Rangers have been placed in Pot three ahead of the draw of the Preliminary Stage of the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League.
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Sierra Leone Champions Rangers in Pot 3 ahead of CAF CL draw

Southern Province side Bo Rangers have been placed in Pot three ahead of the draw of the Preliminary Stage of the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League.

Having won the Sierra Leone title back-back, coach John Keister’s team will now set their sight to make the group stages of the top-tier Inter club competition in Africa.

In the last competition’s second round, they were knocked out by Algerian team CR Belouizdad with a 6-2 aggregate score over two matches. The CAF Interclub men’s competitions are highly popular in African club football, with increasing global TV audiences due to the growing standard of African football.

The CAF Champions League will feature 59 clubs from 47 African countries, and the CAF Confederation Cup will include 52 clubs from 41 countries.

The draw for the Preliminary Stages of the 2024/2025 Interclub season will take place at the CAF Headquarters in Cairo, Egypt.

Its is scheduled to be broadcast live on CAF’s official YouTube channel, CAF TV, at 15:00 local time (noon GMT). The last competition was won by Al Ahly SC of Egypt.

The CAF Champions League will feature 59 clubs from 47 African countries.
The CAF Champions League will feature 59 clubs from 47 African countries.
East End Lions, one of Sierra Leone's most successful clubs, has been placed in Pot One ahead of the CAF Confederation Cup draw on Thursday.
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

East End Lions set for a return to CAF Interclub Competition

East End Lions, one of Sierra Leone’s most successful clubs, has been placed in Pot One ahead of the CAF Confederation Cup draw on Thursday.

The club, which has won the Sierra Leone championship twelve times, is also this year’s FA Cup finalist. And as a result, they’ll join 51 other clubs to know their opponents for this year’s Interclub Confederation Cup tournament.

The CAF Confederation Cup is an annual association football club competition established in 2004 from a merger of the CAF Cup and the African Cup Winners’ Cup.

The draw for the Preliminary Stages of the 2024/2025 Interclub season will take place at the CAF Headquarters in Cairo, Egypt.

It’s expected to be broadcast live on CAF’s official YouTube channel, CAF TV, at 15:00 local time (noon GMT).

The CAF Confederation Cup will include 52 clubs from 41 countries. In the previous season, Al Ahly SC won the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League title, and Zamalek were champions of the CAF Confederation Cup.

Teams qualify based on their national league and cup performance for this second-tier African club football competition, which ranks below the CAF Champions League. The tournament winner faces the CAF Champions League winner in the following season’s CAF Super Cup.

Sierra Leone to open AFCON 2025 campaign against Chad
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Sierra Leone to open AFCON 2025 campaign against Chad

Sierra Leone will begin their 2025 Afcon qualifying campaign by playing their first match against Chad at home, followed by a match against Zambia’s Chipolopolo in September for match-day two.

The Leone Stars will compete against Chad and Zambia in the first week of September, between the 2nd and the 10th. They are aiming to qualify for the continental tournament in Morocco next year, which would be their fourth time participating in the tournament.

In 2015, Sierra Leone and Chad played two matches, with Chad winning 1-0 at the Idriss Mahamat Ouya Omnisports Stadium during the FIFA World Cup Africa 1st round 1st Leg and Sierra Leone winning the second leg 2-1 at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium, Igwuruta in Port Harcourt the same year.

These matches were for the first round of the 2018 FIFA World Cup Preliminary. 2–2 on aggregate. Chad won on the away goals rule and advanced to the second round against Egypt.

In each group of the AFCON 2025 qualifiers, only the top two teams will qualify for the final tournament. However, in Group B, which includes hosts Morocco, only one other team will be eligible.

The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations will be held in Morocco from December 2025 to January 2026.

Coach Amidu Karim urges early preps for AFCON qualifiers
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Coach Amidu Karim wants early preps for AFCON qualifiers

Sierra Leone’s coach prefers to begin preparations early after Leone Stars were placed in Group G, against holders Ivory Coast, 2012 Champions Zambia, and minnows Chad.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has set a three-month window for the qualification process to Morocco following a draw in Johannesburg on Thursday. The road to Morocco will begin in September and conclude in November 2024. 

Coach Amidu Karim acknowledged the tough race to Morocco as he’ll come up against formidable opponents, including holders Ivory Coast, 2012 Champions Zambia, and Chad, starting in September.

The qualifiers are set to kick off in September 2024 to determine the first 24 nations to compete in Africa’s biggest event, the CAF Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco in 2025.

He led his Leone Stars team to earn four points from their last two World Cup 2026 qualification matches with a 2-1 victory over Djibouti and a 2-2 draw against Burkina Faso in June.

Coach Karim told Football Sierra Leone, “Our group has no weak teams. All we have to do is start our preparations. I’m optimistic about putting on a good show with the team’s current form and performance.”

Only the top two teams in each group will qualify for the final tournament, except for Group B, which includes hosts Morocco. In this group, only one other team will be eligible.

The Leone Stars did not qualify for the AFCON in Ivory Coast as they finished third in Group A behind Nigeria and Guinea-Bissau.

The 35th AFCON edition is scheduled to take start from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026, encompassing the Christmas period.

2025 AFCON qualifiers Match days scheduled:

MD 1 & 2- 2nd- 10th September, 2024.

MD3 & 4- 7-15th October, 2024

MD 5 & 6- 11-19th November, 2024

SWASAL is set to launch its Golden Jubilee logo and celebrate Sports Journalist Day.
by FSL News

SWASAL to Launch Golden Jubilee logo, celebrate Sports Journalist

The Sports Writers Association of Sierra Leone (SWASAL) will launch its 50-year Golden Jubilee logo on Friday and celebrate this year’s World Sports Journalists Day.

The association’s President, Sahr Morris Jr, (In Photo) expressed pride in the achievements of the association and its sports journalists.

Sahr Morris Jr, the President of SWASAL, expressed that the recent event is a significant milestone and a great achievement for the Association. SWASAL has produced numerous outstanding sports journalists who have gone on to become leaders of the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists and have also made significant contributions to sports administrations.

He stated: “As an Association and an executive, we take pride in our accomplishments thus far and are committed to further improving and achieving success in all aspects of sports journalism and sports administration in Sierra Leone.”

The launch will kick off various activities, including sponsored walks, sports tournaments, conferences, and other events. In commemoration of World Sports Journalists Day, the President extended gratitude to sports journalists in Sierra Leone and worldwide for their efforts in reporting sports news and events.

Despite challenges, he highlighted the dedication of Sierra Leone’s sports journalists in reporting on their athletes and promoting the value of sports to both local and international audiences.

He also encouraged everyone to take advantage of the newly introduced Diploma in Sports Journalism course offered by SWASAL and LICCSAL Business. College.

AFCON 2025 qualifiers: Sierra Leone grouped with Ivory Coast, Zambia and Chad
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Sierra Leone face former champions for road to Morocco 2025

The national football team of Sierra Leone, known as the Leone Stars, has been placed in Group G as per the official draw made on Thursday in Johannesburg, South Africa.

The team, led by Amidu Karim, faces formidable opponents including holders Ivory Coast, 2012 Champions Zambia and Chad, in the race to the 2025 AFCON group stages starting in September.

The qualifiers are set to kick off in September 2024 to determine the first 24 nations to compete in Africa’s biggest event, the CAF Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco in 2025.

The upcoming matches will determine the qualification of teams for the 35th edition of the biennial African football tournament, organized by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

In each group, only the top two teams will qualify for the final tournament, except for Group B, which includes hosts Morocco 🇲🇦. In this group, only one other team will qualify.

The 35th AFCON edition is scheduled to take place from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026, encompassing the Christmas period.

The qualifiers will begin in September 2024 and conclude in November 2024. This prestigious event will bring together the best national teams from across the continent to compete for the coveted title.

The Leone Stars did not qualify for the AFCON in Ivory Coast as they finished third in Group A behind Nigeria and Guinea-Bissau.