Category: Sport News

Stade d’Abidjan, Young Africans and Ethiopian Insurance register wins
by FSL News

Stade d’Abidjan, Young Africans and Ethiopian Insurance register wins

The 2025/26 TotalEnergies CAF Champions League commenced over the weekend as clubs across Africa embarked on their first matches in the Preliminary Round.

The initial leg featured decisive victories and closely contested matches, creating excitement and laying the groundwork for crucial return fixtures next weekend. CAFOnline reviews some of the results from the first legs of the Preliminary Stage.

In Seychelles, Stade d’Abidjan established a strong position with a solid 2–0 away win against Côte d’Or. The Ivorian team’s composed display puts them in a favourable spot ahead of the home leg.

Benin’s Dadjè FC managed to hold Libyan powerhouse Al Ahly Tripoli to a goalless draw in a game with limited opportunities. With neither team gaining an advantage, the matchup remains delicately poised for the second leg in Tripoli.

Tanzanian champions Young Africans demonstrated their prowess on Angolan territory, winning 3–0 against Wiliete SC. Goals by Aziz Andabwile, Edmund Godfrey, and Prince Dube highlighted their attacking capabilities, granting the Tanzanian side a significant advantage before hosting the return match in Dar es Salaam next weekend.

In Addis Ababa, Ethiopian Insurance took advantage of their home field, achieving a 2–0 victory over Zanzibar’s Mlandege FC. The Ethiopians will travel confidently as they aim to complete the task next weekend.

Police FC scored a vital 3–1 away win at Mogadishu City Club, putting them in a strong position to advance to the next round. The Somali team now faces a tough challenge to overcome the deficit.

In one of the week’s key matchups, Zambian club Power Dynamos narrowly defeated ASEC Mimosas 1–0 in Ndola. An early goal from Innocent Kashita propelled the hosts to secure a slim but crucial first-leg lead against the Ivorian team.

Petro de Luanda of Angola displayed their experience on the continental stage with a 3–0 away victory over Cercle de Joachim in Mauritius. This result leaves them well-positioned to reach the Second Preliminary Round.

In another match in Addis Ababa, Ethiopian Medhin achieved an important home win, defeating Mlandege FC 2–0. Capitalising on their dominance, the Ethiopian side scored twice to position themselves strongly ahead of the return leg, needing Mlandege to respond effectively on their home ground to keep their continental ambitions alive.

Meanwhile, South Africa’s Orlando Pirates showcased their strength with a commanding 3–0 away victory over Lioli FC from Lesotho. A pair of goals from Tshegofatso Mabasa and a late strike by Oswin Appolis ensured the former African champions returned to Johannesburg with a solid advantage.

The return legs are set to take place from September 26 to 28, 2025, with aggregate victors progressing to the Second Preliminary Round. With a spot in the group stages ultimately on the line, clubs will aim to either safeguard their leads or launch determined comebacks in front of their home supporters.

First-leg results

19 September

  • African Stars (Namibia) 0–1 Vipers (Uganda)

  • Wiliete (Angola) 0–3 Young Africans (Tanzania)

  • Dadjè (Benin) 0–0 Al Ahly Tripoli (Libya)

  • Côte d’Or (Seychelles) 0–2 Stade d’Abidjan (Côte d’Ivoire)

20 September

  • Al Hilal Benghazi (Libya) 1–0 Horoya (Guinea)

  • Gaborone United (Botswana) 0–1 Simba (Tanzania)

  • Fassell (Liberia) 0–0 MC Alger (Algeria)

  • Rahimo (Burkina Faso) 0–0 Mangasport (Gabon)

  • Bibiani Gold Stars (Ghana) 0–2 JS Kabylie (Algeria)

  • Aigles du Congo (DR Congo) 0–0 Rivers United (Nigeria)

  • Cercle de Joachim (Mauritius) 0–3 Petro Atlético (Angola)

  • Lioli (Lesotho) 0–3 Orlando Pirates (South Africa)

  • Mogadishu City (Somalia) 1–3 Police FC (Kenya)

  • Power Dynamos (Zambia) 1–0 ASEC Mimosas (Côte d’Ivoire)

  • Ethiopian Insurance (Ethiopia) 2–0 Mlandege (Zanzibar)

21 September

  • Real de Banjul (Gambia) 0–2 FAR Rabat (Morocco)

  • Simba Bhora (Zimbabwe) 1–0 Nsingizini Hotspurs (Eswatini)

  • ASC Kara (Togo) 1–1 RS Berkane (Morocco)

  • East End Lions (Sierra Leone) 0–4 US Monastir (Tunisia)

  • Remo Stars (Nigeria) 4–0 US Zilimadjou (Comoros)

  • AS FAN (Niger) 0–3 Espérance Tunis (Tunisia)

  • Léopard (Congo) 0–0 Black Bulls (Mozambique)

  • Fundación Bata (Equatorial Guinea) 0–0 Nouadhibou (Mauritania)

  • Tempête MOCAF (Central African Republic) 0–5 Stade Malien (Mali)

  • Aigle Noir (Burundi) 0–0 ASAS (Djibouti)

  • Colombe (Cameroon) 0–0 Jaraaf (Senegal)

  • Jamus (South Sudan) 0–0 Al Hilal Omdurman (Sudan)

  • Elgeco Plus (Madagascar) 1–1 Silver Strikers (Malawi)

Second-leg ties are scheduled for 26–28 September 2025.

Striker Alie Conteh nets to help Strømsgodset defeat Sarpsborg 08
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Striker Alie Conteh nets to help Strømsgodset defeat Sarpsborg 08

Sierra Leone forward Alie Conteh scored in the 10th minute for his Norwegian team, Strømsgodset in their match against Sarpsborg 08 at the Marienlyst Stadium on Sunday.

Conteh, 20, made an impressive contribution in their 2-1 win, finding the back of the net to kick off the scoring for his Norwegian club, Strømsgodset, in their match against Sarpsborg 08 at the Marienlyst Stadium on Sunday.

The visitors managed to equalise in the 33rd minute when Jesper Taaje inadvertently directed the ball into his own net, much to the dismay of his teammates.

However, Strømsgodset quickly regained control when Gustav Valsvik netted a goal in the 61st minute, giving the home side the lead once again.

With solid teamwork and determination, Strømsgodset held on to secure a well-deserved victory in this thrilling encounter.

The victory holds significant importance for the Gulskogen team, based in Drammen, as they seek to escape the lower part of the Eliteserien standings.

Tunisian side US Monastir thrash Sierra Leone's champions EE Lions
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Tunisian side US Monastir thrash Sierra Leone’s champions EE Lions

Tunisia's US Monastir recorded a comfortable victory in Sunday's first leg of the CAF Champions League preliminary, thrashing host East End Lions from Sierra Leone 4-0.

The Sierra Leone champions were hosting the first leg in Tunisia at the Stade Olympique Hammadi-Agrebi after missing the Inter-club competition for a few years.

US Monastir took the lead with an own goal from Bari, followed by a stunning free kick that found the net, beating Lins’ keeper Dauda Bangura at his near post.

It felt like a one-sided affair as the Tunisian side continued to showcase their impressive performance, culminating in the 88th minute when Cherif Bodian netted their third goal, followed by Hemidi scoring their fourth of the match to conclude a fantastic first leg for the visitors.


Listed CAF Champions League

Elgeco Plus 1-1 Silver Strikers

Jamus 0-0 Al Hilal

Aigle Noir 0-0 Ali Sabieh

Colombe 0-0 Jaraaf

Fundación Bata 0-0 FC Nouadhibou

AS Tempête Mocaf 0-5 Stade Malien

AS-FAN 0-3 ES Tunis

AC Léopards 0-0 Black Bulls

East End Lions 0-4 Monastir

Kara 1-1 RS Berkane

Remo Stars 4-0 Zilimadjou

Simba Bhora 1-0 Nsingizini Hotspurs

Real Banjul 0-2 AS FAR

Tunisian side US Monastir thrash Sierra Leone's champions EE Lions
Tunisian side US Monastir thrash Sierra Leone's champions EE Lions
Sierra Leone's Daniel Kanu nets in Walsall triumph over Tranmere
by FSL News

Sierra Leone’s Daniel Kanu nets in Walsall’s triumph over Tranmere

Sierra Leone international Daniel Kanu found the back of the net as defender Evan Weir's impressive brace secured Walsall a thrilling 4-2 victory against Tranmere.

With this victory, Walsall stretched its unbeaten streak to five league matches on Saturday at the Pallet-Track Bescot Stadium.

Weir opened the scoring with an early free-kick and later added a spectacular instinctive half-volley, helping the Saddlers defeat a determined Rovers side and rise to third place in League Two.

The Irishman struck a 20-yard set-piece into the top corner just nine minutes into the match.

Rovers responded strongly, equalising in the 38th minute when Josh Davison continued to press despite being fouled on the wing, and Joe Ironside finished his low cross after advantage was played.

Tranmere nearly turned the match around when Daniel Kanu deflected a cross onto his own crossbar, and Jordan Turnbull’s header from the ensuing corner went just over.

However, Walsall regained the lead in the fifth minute of first-half stoppage time, with Weir scoring a stunning 18-yard strike into the bottom corner.

Kanu extended the lead to 3-1 in the 61st minute, putting a defender on the ground with a clever turn before curling the ball past Rovers goalkeeper Joe Murphy.

Rovers scored again in the 89th minute through Billy Blacker’s deflected effort from 20 yards, but Albert Adomah broke away in stoppage time to chip the ball over Murphy and secure the victory.

Bhantal suffer heavy home CAF Confederation Cup defeat
by Football Sierra Leone

Debutant Bhantal suffer heavy home CAF Confederation Cup defeat

Debutant Bhantal from Sierra Leone, participating in this season's CAF Confederation Cup, suffered a significant 3-0 loss at home in the first leg of the preliminary stage.

Hafia FC kicked off their African campaign in impressive fashion, delivering a commanding win over Banthal FC this past Saturday, September 20, in Sierra Leone. This match marked the first leg of the initial preliminary round of the Confederation Cup.

From start to finish, the Green and Whites displayed their dominance on the field, led by a standout performance from Salif Camara, who netted two goals. Reinforcement Sekou Damaro Bangoura added to the tally, rounding off the scoring with a well-deserved third goal.

With this solid advantage in hand, the three-time African champions are now set to approach the return leg scheduled for this Friday in Abidjan, determined to secure their spot in the next round.

Sierra Leone U17 girls record back-to-back wins in WAFU qualifiers
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Sierra Leone U17 girls record back-to-back wins in WAFU qualifiers

Sierra Leone made a significant strides in the WAFU Girls U17 qualifiers, currently leading the way in their group after securing a second consecutive victory.

Sierra Leone made a significant stride in the WAFU Girls U-17 qualifiers, currently leading their group after securing a second consecutive victory.

In their opening match, they demonstrated their strength by defeating Senegal. Following this impressive performance, Sierra Leone continued their success with a 3-0 win over Liberia on Friday.

Marian Sankoh from Sierra Leone has been recognised as the Woman of the Match for the second consecutive game, scoring once again in the 3-0 victory. This marks her second goal in just two matches of the tournament.

Sierra Leone’s upcoming matches are set for Tuesday against Senegal and Thursday against the host nation, Liberia.

Sierra Leone U17 girls record back-to-back wins in WAFU qualifiers
Sierra Leone U17 girls record back-to-back wins in WAFU qualifiers
East End Lions to face tricky North Africa contest against US Monastir
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

East End Lions set for tricky North Africa contest against US Monastir

East End Lions, one of Sierra Leone's most celebrated football clubs, have headed north to take on Tunisian side US Monastir in the first leg of their CAF Champions League matchup on Sunday, September 21st.

The return fixture is set for September 28th at the Hammadi Agrebi Stadium. Both matches will take place in Tunisia. This is an advantage for the Tunisian team, which finished second in last season’s Pro League 1.

Nonetheless, Head Coach Mohamed Lamin Kamara has expressed his satisfaction with his team’s preparation before they departed for Tunisia.

“Preparation has been ongoing seriously in Port Loko, where the team is camped. We are focused on team organisation and integration, as some of the players are new to the team. We are going to give our best to make our presence felt, and we are looking forward to breaking records.

“The Killers’ delegation has left its training camp in Port Loko this morning, en route to Guinea. The delegation consisted of players and officials.

While in Guinea, the team will depart at the Guinea International airport this evening (Thursday) for Tunisia, where they will continue their preparations ahead of Sunday’s clash against US MONASTIR in the CAF Champions League,” the club confirmed these details.

This is Lions’ fifth appearance in the CAF Champions League, and in their last four attempts, they were eliminated in the Preliminary rounds.

In the 2010 edition, the Lions were eliminated by the Tunisian side ES Tunis with an aggregate score of 5-4. The first leg ended in a 2-2 draw, followed by a 3-2 victory for the Tunisians in the second leg.

US Monastir finished second in last season's Tunisian Pro League 1
US Monastir finished second in last season's Tunisian Pro League 1
Bhantal coach Ibrahim Sillah eyes CAF Confederation win over Hafia
by Football Sierra Leone

Bhantal coach Ibrahim Sillah eyes CAF Confederation Cup win over Hafia

Bhantal FC head coach Ibrahim Sillah is feeling optimistic as his team gears up for their first leg in the CAF Confederation Cup against the former African powerhouse Hafia of Guinea.

Bhantal FC head coach Ibrahim Sillah is feeling optimistic as his team gears up for their first leg in the CAF Confederation Cup against the former African powerhouse Hafia of Guinea.

The CAF License A tactician is poised to lead the team in its inaugural participation in the CAF Confederation Cup for the 2025/26 season. Sillah brings lots of extensive expertise to the club he joined a few weeks ago.

The Sierra Leonean club will host the Guinean side this Saturday at the Southern Arena for the first leg of the preliminary round. Coach Sillah recognises the challenges of competing at this level of continental football.

“First of all, I want to highlight our team’s chances against Hafia. It’s important to acknowledge that Hafia is a three-time winner of the African Cup of Champions Clubs, now known as the CAF Champions League, as well as a one-time champion of the UFOA Cup. We need to respect their history,” the CAF A License coach stated.

Although we are making our debut in this competition after just two seasons in the Sierra Leone Premier League, I believe we are strong contenders. This is our chance to create our own legacy by winning the first leg at home. We need to come out on top, and I have faith that we can do just that on Saturday.”

In Port Loko, we prepared by playing three friendlies against Port Loko All Stars and Waterloo FC, winning both matches and drawing 1-1 with the champions, East End Lions.

Meanwhile, the 16-time Guinean champions Hafia have arrived in Bo, the second largest city in Sierra Leone by population (after Freetown) and the largest city in the Southern Province.

The two teams will compete again next week in the return match in the ivorian capital. The winner from both matches will play against the Algerian team CR Belouizdad in the second round of the preliminaries.

The 16-time Guinean champions Hafia have arrived in Bo
The 16-time Guinean champions Hafia have arrived in Bo
Sierra Leone up two places from 124 to 122 in latest FIFA rankings after September's International break. 34 in Africa!!!
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Sierra Leone move up two places in latest Fifa ranking

Sierra Leone has climbed to 122nd place in the latest FIFA world rankings, which were released on Thursday morning.

The Leone Stars improved their standing by 10.6 points compared to the rankings from July, bringing their total to 1150.01 points and surpassing Malaysia, Azerbaijan, and Zimbabwe in the process.

Sierra Leone’s move comes after recent results in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, where they played to 1-1 in Guinea-Bissau and a 2-0 win over Ethiopia.

Currently, they are third in Group A of the World Cup qualifiers, aiming for a place in the playoff, although the possibilities are very slim.

On the African continent, Sierra Leone sits in 34th place, trailing The Gambia at 30th, Sudan at 31, Niger at 32, and Togo at 33 standings.

Morocco continues to sit atop the African and Arab rankings, followed by Senegal in 18th, Egypt in 35th, and Algeria in 38th.

Spain is in first place, followed by France, which has moved up to second position, just behind the Spaniards.

The French team triumphed over Ukraine (2-0) and Iceland (2-1), with Kylian Mbappé surpassing Thierry Henry to become the second-highest scorer in the history of the national team, now with 52 goals.

In the remainder of the Top 10, England (4th), Netherlands (7th), and Belgium (8th) maintained their rankings. Croatia (9th) and Italy (10th) each improved by one spot, securing a place in the elite segment of the ranking.

Sierra Leone clubs to benefit from new FIFA Programme
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Sierra Leone clubs to benefit from new FIFA Programme

For the first time, the program will directly reward all clubs that release players for the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers. Sierra Leone Premier League clubs will benefit from this initiative launched by the world governing body.

For the first time, the program will directly reward all clubs that release players for the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers. Sierra Leone Premier League clubs will benefit from this initiative launched by the world governing body.

A total of USD 355 million has been allocated for club football, representing a nearly 70% increase compared to the previous edition. This funding is part of the renewed memorandum of understanding between FIFA and the European Club Association.

More clubs than ever are set to benefit from the FIFA World Cup™, as FIFA gears up to implement an enhanced edition of the FIFA Club Benefits Programme (CBP) for the 2026 edition of its flagship men’s competition.

As per the renewed memorandum of understanding signed by FIFA and the European Club Association (ECA) in March 2023, clubs who release players for the FIFA World Cup 26™ will benefit from USD 355 million overall.

For the first time since its inception, the CBP distribution principles have been adjusted to now allow every club whose players directly feature either in the FIFA World Cup 26™ qualifiers or the final tournament to receive a share of the solidarity fund.  

This new approach means that any club that releases a player for a FIFA World Cup 26 qualifier will now be directly compensated for said release, irrespective of whether the player plays at the final tournament, an additional step to increase solidarity aimed at providing a fairer and more inclusive redistribution across global club football.