Category: Football Africa

Ghana's Jordan Ayew's move to Leicester is imminent
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Ghana’s Jordan Ayew’s move to Leicester is imminent

Leicester City has reportedly reached an agreement with Crystal Palace to acquire the services of Ghana’s attacker Jordan Ayew.

Ayew is set to link up with Fatawu Issahaku as Leicester City in a deal valued at an initial £5 million with an additional £3 million in potential add-ons, which will see the 32-year-old Ghanaian international potentially joining the newly promoted club.

After starting 30 Premier League matches for Palace last season, Ayew is on the verge of undergoing a medical evaluation before finalizing the move.

Jordan Ayew’s journey to Crystal Palace began with a loan move from Swansea City in the summer of 2018, which was later made permanent. During his time with the South London club, Ayew made 211 appearances and found the back of the net 23 times.

His career began at Ligue 1 club Marseille before a successful spell at Lorient, where he scored 13 goals during the 2014-15 season before transferring to Aston Villa. Following a season-and-a-half at Villa, he joined his elder brother Andre at Swansea.

Burnley winger Anass Zaroury has signed a four-year deal with French Ligue 1 side RC Lens for an unspecified fee.
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Anass Zaroury pens deal with RC Lens from Burnley

Burnley winger Anass Zaroury has signed a four-year deal with French Ligue 1 side RC Lens for an unspecified fee.

“After spending two seasons with Burnley FC in England, 23-year-old Anass Zaroury has joined the attacking lineup of Lens. Known for his dribbling skills, excellent game vision, and goal-scoring abilities, the talented Moroccan player has signed with Racing until 2028,” Lens announced on their website.

Zaroury was a key player in Burnley’s championship-winning season, scoring 11 goals in 39 games. He was signed by Vincent Kompany and played in six Premier League matches last season.

He was sent off in his first Premier League game and spent time on loan at Hull City. He made a substitute appearance in Burnley’s first Championship game this season but missed the next game due to illness.

On the International stage

Zaroury was born in Belgium but is of Moroccan descent. He used to play for the Belgium U21s national team but was officially invited to join the Moroccan national team for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

He replaced Amine Harit, who got injured one week before the tournament. Zaroury made his international debut for Morocco on 17 November in a friendly match against Georgia.

Liberia's Watanga face an uphill CAF Champions League task
by FSL News

Watanga face an uphill CAF Champions League task

Liberia’s Watanga FC is facing a tough challenge in the CAF Champions League as they prepare to take on their Algerian counterparts in the second leg of the competition on Thursday.

Having suffered a 2-0 defeat to MC Algiers in the first leg at the Nelson Mandela Stadium, Watanga FC must display courage and begin the second leg with determination to score an early goal and make up for the deficit.

Although it will be a difficult task, it is not impossible. However, it will be tough given that the Algerian team will be more confident with a two-goal lead and will likely aim to score early at home to alleviate the pressure.

The return match will be held at the Mustapha Tchaker Stadium in Blida, Algeria, but it will take place without any audience in attendance.

English Championship side Portsmouth has completed the signing of Abdoulaye Kamara from Borussia Dortmund for an undisclosed fee.
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Guinea’s Abdoulaye Kamara pens long-term deal with Portsmouth

English Championship side Portsmouth has completed the signing of Abdoulaye Kamara from Borussia Dortmund for an undisclosed fee.

The 19-year-old Guinea-born midfielder has signed a four-year deal on the south coast.

Blues boss John Mousinho said, “He’s an extremely promising young player who arrives with plenty of pedigree, having been at Dortmund and PSG before that. We think he’s ready for Championship football and can really kick-start his career with us, so we’re delighted to have him here.

He’s a powerful and combative midfielder who can handle the ball well – he’s right up there in terms of his athleticism and game understanding. It’s a brave step for Abdoulaye to come over and look to prove himself in England, and I’m excited to start working with him.”

Kamara is a graduate of the Paris Saint-Germain academy and moved up three age groups to appear for their under-19 side.

He made the switch to Dortmund in the summer of 2021 and has featured for the German giants at the under-23 level.

Broos names prelim Bafana squad for AFCON qualifiers
by FSL News

Broos names prelim Bafana squad for AFCON qualifiers

Bafana Bafana’s head coach, Hugo Broos, has recently unveiled a preliminary squad comprising 38 members for the upcoming 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers against Uganda and South Sudan.

The team to commence their AFCON journey by facing Uganda at the Orlando Stadium on Friday, September 6, 2024, at 6 pm. Subsequently, they will proceed to play their second match in the group against South Sudan on Tuesday, September 10, 2024.

Following the preliminary squad announcement, the final 23-member squad will be unveiled in the coming days. Broos’ Bafana squad includes 11 Mamelodi Sundowns players, with Sipho Chaine and Van Duivenbooden being the only uncapped players.

Nicholas Opoku makes Kasimpasa's debut in draw
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Nicholas Opoku makes Kasimpasa’s debut against Hatayspor

Ghanaian defender Nicholas Opoku, 27, made his debut for his new club in the Turkish Super Lig, Kasimpasa SK, as they drew 1-1 against Hatayspor on Monday.

Opoku, who joined the club on a free transfer after leaving French club Amiens SC, played for 82 minutes in his first game.

During his time at Amiens, he appeared in 102 matches across all competitions, demonstrating strong defensive skills in 23 games in Ligue 2 last season.

Opoku’s football journey began in Ghana with Berekum Chelsea. After impressing at Tunisian side Club Africain, he signed with them in 2017. Opoku then moved to Udinese in Italy in July 2018.

On the international stage, Opoku has represented Ghana 18 times since his debut in 2017. He brings solid tackling, aerial ability, and a composed presence on the field to the Black Stars’ setup.

Striker Patson Daka to miss Ivory Coast and Sierra Leone qualifiers
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Striker Patson Daka to miss Ivory Coast and Sierra Leone qualifiers

Zambia will have to do without Patson Daka in next month African Cup of Nations qualifiers after Leicester City’s injury update on Patson Daka, the 2017 African Youth Player of the Year.

Daka, the Zambia international, was forced off the field during a recent friendly against RC Lens due to an injury, which will sideline him for an extended period, as confirmed on the club’s website.

The 25-year-old will be absent from the upcoming English Premier League opener against Tottenham Hotspur, and there are concerns about his availability for Zambia’s 2025 AFCON qualifiers next month.

Manager Steve Cooper expressed his disappointment, stating, “Patson [Daka] is not great news. He sustained a serious ankle injury in the game against Lens last week and will be out of action for several months.

The striker underwent an operation on Friday. It’s a setback for both club and country as he was showing promise during pre-season.

Daka, known as Zambia’s key player with 21 goals in 48 matches for Chipolopolo, faces a challenging recovery period, with important matches against Ivory Coast and Sierra Leone on the horizon next month.

Antoine Semenyo's late equaliser helps Bournemouth draw at Forest
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Antoine Semenyo’s equaliser helps Bournemouth draw at Forest

Ghanaian International Antoine Semenyo scored a late goal to help AFC Bournemouth secure a 1-1 draw at Nottingham Forest on the opening day of the season.

Chris Wood put Nottingham Forest ahead with a close-range goal in the first half. Dango Ouattara had a goal disallowed.

Semenyo’s goal earned the Cherries their first point of the new season.

Dean Huijsen made his Premier League debut, and Julián Araujo was named on the bench for the first time.

Evanilson’s registration came too late for inclusion. Semenyo led the line for the Cherries, alternating with Luis Sinisterra.

The match started positively for the Cherries, with Ouattara heading just over from a corner. However, the game was paused for ten minutes when Danilo was injured following a challenge with Semenyo.

Wood opened the scoring for Nottingham Forest, tapping in a rebound after Neto parried Ryan Yates’s shot. The Cherries then had a goal disallowed, as Lewis Cook was ruled offside in the build-up to Ouattara’s goal.

First-leg Confederation Cup defeat for hosts East End Lions
by FSL News

East End Lions suffer first-leg Confederation Cup defeat

On Sunday, ASC Jaraaf from Senegal secured a 1-0 victory over East End Lions in the first preliminary round of the CAF Confederation Cup at the Southern Arena. (Photo Credit EE Lions)

After an intriguing first hour of the contest – substitute Papa Souleymane Dione accounted for Jaraaf’s goal in the 77th minute. But, before their goal, they missed a penalty in the first half and hit the woodwork.

Head coach Malick Daf mentioned that despite the missed penalty and hitting the woodwork. “The team showcased a strong effort against the home side, who had the advantage of local support.”

Daf and his side have immediately turned their attention to the return fixtures next weekend in Senegal. “We’ll return home to prepare for the next match, knowing we will be facing a strong opponent.”

Coach Daf also commented on the missed penalty, saying that even the best players can miss a penalty and emphasized that what matters is the overall result.

East End Lions’ head coach Mohamed Lamin Kamara described the result as ‘disappointing’ while expressing hope to overturn the result in Senegal in the upcoming game.

The second leg is scheduled for Sunday, August 25, 2024, at Stade Lat Dior in Senegal.

CAF Confederation Cup first leg preliminary results
CAF Confederation Cup first leg preliminary results
Bo Rangers draw 1-1 with San Pedro set up a tense return fixture
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Bo Rangers draw 1-1 with San Pedro to set up tense return fixture

In the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League preliminary round, Bo Rangers, the champions of Sierra Leone, tied 1-1 with San Pedro from Ivory Coast in the first leg on Saturday.

The first-leg tie showcased an intense battle through the 90th minute at the Southern Arena in Bo City. The home team scored first in the 48th minute through Mohamadu Lamin, causing excitement among the fans.

However, they were unable to capitalize on their lead. The Ivorian team equalized through Issouf Dosso in the 73rd minute, resulting in a draw.

The return fixture is scheduled for next weekend, expected to be an exciting match as the winner will advance to the second preliminary round.

In other matches, Commercial Bank of Ethiopia achieved a 2-1 victory away against FC Vitalo from Burundi, while Namibia’s Africa Stars secured a 1-0 win over Gaborone Galaxy from Botswana.

Raja Casablanca defeated Garde Nationale 2-1 in Niger. Saber Bougrine opened the scoring for Raja Casablanca in the 20th minute, but their opponents equalized in the 37th minute.

However, Marouane Zila restored Raja Casablanca’s lead in the 66th minute, securing a 2-1 win for the Moroccan club.

Some results of the first-leg matches of the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League Preliminary Round:

– FC Villa Jogo 1-2 Commercial Bank of Ethiopia
– FC Vitalo 0-4 Young Africans
– Africa Stars 1-0 Gaborone Galaxy
– Ngazi Platinum 0-0 AS Maniema
– Saint-Louis 0-1 Sagrada Esperança
– Garde Nationale 1-2 Raja Casablanca
– Red Star 0-0 Djoliba Bamako
– Stade d’Abidjan 1-1 FC Teungueth
– Bo Rangers 1-1 San Pedro
– Douanes du Burkina Faso 0-0 Cotonou du Bénin
– Al Nasr 0-0 Al-Merreikh