Category: Sport News

New Bournemouth deal for Ghana's Antoine Semenyo
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

New Bournemouth deal for Ghana’s Antoine Semenyo

Ghana’s Antoine Semenyo has signed a new five-year contract with AFC Bournemouth until summer 2029. The 24-year-old defender had an excellent season at the Vitality Stadium.

Semenyo joined Cherries from Bristol City for around £ 9 million in January 2023. CEO Neill Blake said, “It’s clear to see Antoine’s growth since joining 18 months ago.

He’s made great progress and had a fantastic first full season with us. Signing a long-term contract was important for us to recognize his role on our team, and we look forward to more success in the years to come.”

Semenyo had a terrific season, helping the club achieve their record-breaking Premier League points total of 48.

He played 33 matches last season, scoring eight goals and providing two assists. His standout performance led to AFC Bournemouth winning the Premier League’s Most Improbable Comeback award for 2023/24.

He also earned the club’s Player of the Month award for November. Since joining in January 2023, he has played 47 times for the Cherries in all competitions.

He made his International debut for the Ghana national team during a 3-0 victory in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualification match against Madagascar on June 1, 2022. On November 14, 2022, Semenyo was selected for Ghana’s 26-man squad for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

 Togolese descent Lilian Brassier joins Marseille
by FSL News

 Togolese descent Lilian Brassier joins Marseille

Togolese descent Lilian Brassier has joined Olympique de Marseille on loan from Stade Brestois. The 24-year-old defender has signed with an option to buy after passing a medical examination.

 The centre-back began his professional career at Stade Rennais and made his debut in Ligue 2 in the 2019-2020 season. He was then loaned to Valenciennes FC, where he played 27 matches.

He was spotted by Stade Brestois 29 and joined them in the following season in Finistère. His skills in duels and heading were noticeable from the start in Ligue 1.

Lilian Brassier is a versatile and adaptable defender known for his quality recovery with his left foot. He played 30 matches, scored 3 goals, and helped Stade Brestois 29 finish on the podium and secure a place in the Champions League during the 2023-24 season.

With over 100 matches and 5 goals in Ligue 1, he has become a reliable central defender at the age of 24.

Midfielder Alhassan Koroma extends Al Shahaniya's deal
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Midfielder Alhassan Koroma extends Al Shahaniya’s deal

Midfielder Alhassan Koroma has signed a contract extension with Qatari Super League sports club Al Shahaniya until 2026.

The 24-year-old Sierra Leone international had initially signed a two-year deal last summer but has now agreed to a one-year extension after helping the club secure promotion.

Koroma was pivotal in Al Shahaniya’s promotion to the Qatar Super League for the upcoming season. In his first season at the club, Koroma made significant contributions, scoring seven goals and providing five assists in the league campaign.

The team secured a 3-1 victory over Al Markhiya at the Al Thumama Stadium in May, confirming their promotion to the Qatar top-tier league.

This victory secured their place in the 2024-2025 season’s First Division after a Play-Off match that pitted the 11th-placed team (Al Markhiya) in the final standings of the 2023-2024 season Expo Stars League against the second-placed team (Al Shahaniya) in the Second Division championship.

Midfielder Alhassan Koroma has signed a contract extension with Qatari Super League sports club Al Shahaniya until 2026.
Midfielder Alhassan Koroma has signed a contract extension with Qatari Super League sports club Al Shahaniya until 2026.
Tyrese Fornah joins Derby's pre-season ahead of Real Valladolid friendly
by FSL News

Tyrese Fornah joins Derby’s pre-season ahead of Real Valladolid friendly

Sierra Leone International Tyrese Fornah has joined Championship team Derby County for pre-season training in preparation for their friendly match against Real Valladolid.

Tyrese Fornah, 24, is looking to make a good impression on his new boss before the upcoming Championship campaign.

Derby County is set to host Real Valladolid in their final pre-season friendly before the 2024/25 Sky Bet Championship campaign next month.

The match will take place at Pride Park Stadium on Saturday, August 3rd, 2024, with a kick-off time of 3 pm.

Real Valladolid, who is 82% owned by former Brazil international striker Ronaldo, will be competing in La Liga for the 2024/25 season after finishing second in the Segunda Division last season.

They secured automatic promotion by winning 21 of their 42 league matches and finished just two points behind champions Leganes.

In November 2023, Fornah made his international debut for Sierra Leone in the World Cup qualifiers against Ethiopia and then went on to start in a 2-0 defeat to Egypt.

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.

Samal Bangura joins Tottenham Hotspur U18 scholars
by FSL News

Samal Bangura joins Tottenham Hotspur U18 scholars

Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur has officially announced that Samal Bangura a Sierra Leonean native is one of the new academy scholars for the 2024-2025 season.

The club introduced 13 young players who have joined their Under-18s as full-time, first-year scholars.

Stuart Lewis, the Under-18s Coach, expressed excitement about working with the new scholarship intake and called it a proud moment for the players and their families.

He emphasized that becoming a full-time scholar at Tottenham Hotspur is an incredible achievement.

The staff team looks forward to developing the players individually and collectively as they support their scholarship years at the club.

Kei Kamara continues his excellent scoring form with LAFC
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Kei Kamara continues his excellent scoring form with LAFC

Kei Kamara, the second-highest goal scorer in Major League Soccer, has scored three goals in his last four matches for Los Angeles in all competitions.

Another header from Kamara as Los Angeles extended its club-record unbeaten streak to 12 games in all competitions with a 2-1 win over archrivals LA Galaxy at the Rose Bowl on Thursday night.

LAFC took the lead in the 40th minute when Kei Kamara scored with a powerful header from a Mateusz Bogusz corner kick, making the score 1-0.

Dénis Athanase Bouanga scored their second goal in the 44th minute before LA Galaxy pulled one back in the 56th minute through Gabriel Pec. However, that would be as close as they would get on the night as the Black & Gold locked down defensively on the way to victory.

LAFC won their third consecutive game against the Galaxy and their third consecutive league game.

They are currently at the top of the Western Conference with a record of 13-4-4 and 43 points, three points ahead of the Galaxy and Real Salt Lake.

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

Left winger Osman Kamara on signing a pro contract with Arsenal
by FSL News

Left winger Osman Kamara on signing a pro contract with Arsenal

Arsenal left winger Osman has expressed his delight after he penned a professional contract at the club.

Kamara had his best goal-scoring season in 2023/24. He scored nine goals in 14 appearances in the U18 Premier League and provided two assists.

He also scored in the Premier League 2 for our under-21s team and played in the FA Youth Cup and UEFA Youth League.

“I’m thrilled to have my family watch me sign my first professional contract,” said a proud Osman. “It’s been a lot of hard work, but I’m happy that they can see that it’s paid off.

“It gives me a sense that if you work hard, things will be given to you. I’m going to keep doing the same in the future.

“It was an easy decision. The coaches and staff around here are very welcoming and bring out the best in me, so I’ll keep improving as a player and a person.”

“I feel really delighted to have my family watch me sign my first professional contract," a proud Osman revealed. "It’s been a lot of hard work throughout the years, but I’m happy that they can see that it’s paid off.
“I feel really delighted to have my family watch me sign my first professional contract," a proud Osman revealed. "It’s been a lot of hard work throughout the years, but I’m happy that they can see that it’s paid off.
Sierra Leone's native signs Arsenal professional contract
by FSL News

Sierra Leone’s native Kabia signs Arsenal professional contract

Arsenal has confirmed that Ismeal Kabia, a right winger, has signed a professional contract at the club.

Kabia made the step up to Arsenal’s under-21s team last season and played in several competitions.

He expressed his happiness after signing his contract and discussed the positive influence the club has had on him.

Despite some injuries, he finished the last season with eight appearances and scored his first goal for Arsenal U18s against Southampton.

Kabia, who was born in the Netherlands but is also eligible to play for Sierra Leone, aims to make a significant impact on the Arsenal team.