Category: Sport News

Egypt's Mohamed Salah nets 50th European goal for Liverpool
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Egypt’s Mohamed Salah nets 50th European goal for Liverpool

Liverpool right-winger Mo Salah recorded his 50-goal milestone in European club competitions when he converted a pass into the goal in a 2-1 win for the Merseyside team over Lille in the UEFA Champions League.

“I personally don’t dare speaking, but of course he’s special,” declared Arne Slot, the manager of Liverpool, regarding the Premier League star Salah’s performance on Tuesday.

Liverpool’s victory on Tuesday guaranteed their spot in the last 16 of this year’s Champions League, making them the first team to do so. This is a historic achievement for Arne Slot’s side, especially since it is the first year the Swiss model has been implemented.

Lille had come with their record-holding no defeat in 21 games at Anfield. In the start, they restrained Liverpool as best they could.

33 minutes played, Mo Salah put the ball past the Lille goalkeeper, Lucas Chevalier, and gave Liverpool a lead with 1-0 after a corner and a pass from Curtis Jones. He acted so cleverly and capitalized on the gift. Still, Salah was frustrated at missing an easy chance and shooting wide from outside the right post.

In the 62nd-minute, Jonathan David scored the visitors equaliser before Harvey Elliott then regained the lead with a goal from a corner kick five minutes later. In the final, Liverpool celebrated a victory, highlighted by Mohamed Salah’s milestone accomplishment.

Six Days to the 35th edition AFCON 2025 draw in Morocco
by Football Sierra Leone

Six Days to the 35th edition AFCON 2025 draw in Morocco

The TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Morocco 2025 Final Draw is set to happen in Rabat on January 27, 2025. This event will reveal the opponents for the 24 competing teams.

The draw kicks off at 19:00 local time (18:00 GMT/20:00 Cairo time) with delegates from all 24 AFCON 2025 qualifiers in attendance.

Teams will get a chance to check out Morocco’s game locations, practice spots, and hotels during this gathering.

Organizers will split the 24 teams into six groups of four. The top two from each group, plus the four best third-place finishers, will advance to the Round of 16.

Morocco hosts the finals for the first time since 1988. This marks a big moment for Morocco, as it gears up to co-host the 2030 FIFA World Cup with Spain and Portugal.

This marks the 35th time the AFCON has taken place, with its origins dating back to 1957. Among continental soccer tournaments, it ranks as the third oldest coming after those in South America (1916) and Asia (1956).

The 24 teams that will be in the draw for the 2025 finals are as follows, with their previous appearances and best finish included:

Algeria (21st appearance, champions in 1990, 2019)

Angola (10th appearance, quarter-finalists in 2008, 2010, 2023)

Benin (5th appearance, quarter-finalists in 2019)

Botswana (2nd appearance, group stages in 2012)

Burkina Faso (14th appearance, runners-up in 2013)

Cameroon (22nd appearance, champions in 1984, 1988, 2000, 2002, 2017)

Comoros (2nd appearance, round of 16 in 2021)

Cote d’Ivoire (26th appearance, champions in 1992, 2015, 2023)

Democratic Republic of Congo (21st appearance, champions in 1968, 1974)

Egypt (27th appearance, champions in 1957, 1959, 1986, 1998, 2006, 2008, 2010)

Equatorial Guinea (5th appearance, fourth place in 2015)

Gabon (9th appearance, quarter-finalists in 1996, 2012)

Mali (14th appearance, runners-up in 1972)

Morocco (20th appearances, champions in 1976)

Mozambique (6th appearance, group stages in 1986, 1996, 1998, 2010, 2023)

Nigeria (21st appearance, champions in 1980, 1994, 2013)

Senegal (18th appearance, champions in 2021)

South Africa (12th appearance, champions in 1996)

Sudan (10th appearance, champions in 1970)

Tanzania (4th appearance, group stage in 1980, 2019, 2023)

Tunisia (22nd appearance, champions in 2004)

Uganda (8th appearance, runners-up in 1978)

Zambia (19th appearance, champions in 2012)

Zimbabwe (6th appearance, group stage in 2004, 2006, 2017, 2019, 2021)

Madueke hails Trevoh Chalobah's 'leadership' after Man of the Match performance
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Noni Madueke hails Trevoh Chalobah’s ‘leadership’ after top performance

Sierra Leone-born Trevoh Chalobah was named Man of the Match after his impressive performance upon his return to the London side Chelsea.

Chelsea were level at half-time during their 3-1 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers on Monday at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League. However, they managed to recover in the second half to secure all three points.

This win allowed them to climb back into the top four of the league, with returning central defender Trevoh Chalobah playing a pivotal role. His teammate, Noni Madueke, praised the 25-year-old for his outstanding performance.

Madueke described Chalobah’s display as “unbelievable” in the match on Monday. The victory for Enzo Maresca’s men was significant, especially for Chalobah, who had spent the first half of the season on loan at Crystal Palace.

“He did an amazing job,” Adarabioyo told Sky Sports post-match. “He did everything flawlessly from a tactical point of view, so I am very happy for him.”

At one point, it seemed that he had no future with the current manager, who had trimmed the squad at Stamford Bridge upon his arrival.

Ivorian giant outfit Asec Mimosas pick quarter-final ticket
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Ivorian giant outfit Asec Mimosas pick quarter-final ticket

From Group C, ASEC Mimosas reached the CAF Confederation Cup quarter-finals with a 4-0 win over Orapa United, with Celestine Ecua scoring twice. USM Alger topped Group C by defeating ASC Jaraaf 2-0, thanks to late goals from Ismail Belkacemi and Saadi Redouani.

In Group B, Renaissance Berkane made a strong statement by beating Stellenbosch 5-0 in their last group match. Berkane’s performance featured two goals from Pape Bassène and early strikes from Omar Lamlioui and Youssef Mehri, securing them a total of 14 points as group winners.

Lamlioui scored first just seven minutes in, followed by Mehri eight minutes later. In the second half, Bassène added two goals, and Youssef Zoughdi completed the rout.

Despite this loss, Stellenbosch advanced to the quarter-finals as runners-up with nine points. They succeeded thanks to Deportivo Luanda-Sul’s 1-0 victory over Stade Malien.

These results marked a significant achievement for Stellenbosch in their first continental tournament, though they will need to improve before the knockout stages.

CF Group in discussions to acquire Sierra Leone teenager Juma Bah
by Football Sierra Leone

CF Group in discussions to acquire Sierra Leone teenager Juma Bah

City Football Group (CFG) is in talks to sign young African center-back Juma Bah, sources have informed ESPN.

CFG, the parent company of Manchester City, also owns several top-flight football clubs in countries such as Australia and the United States.

Juma, an 18-year-old defender born in Sierra Leone, joined Real Valladolid on loan last summer from AIK Freetong, which competes in his country’s top division.

The Spanish club initially planned for him to progress through the youth ranks before moving up to the first team. However, this plan changed after he made an impressive LA Liga debut against Real Sociedad In September. Since then, Juma has made 13 additional first-team appearances, catching the attention of several European clubs.

Valladolid recently exercised their option to sign him on a permanent basis, and sources have indicated that CFG is working diligently to add him to their roster during the January transfer window.

Inter Milan has also shown interest, but a source informed ESPN that CFG is currently in the best position to secure his signature. However, it remains to be seen whether Bah would stay on loan at Valladolid or continue his career at one of CFG’s clubs.

MC Alger secure CAF Champions League spot after draw with Young Africans
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

MC Alger secure quarterfinal spot after draw with Young Africans

In Group A, MC Alger advanced to the CAF Champions League quarter-finals after a goalless draw against Young Africans in Tanzania on Saturday. The Algerian side needed just a point to join Al Hilal, finishing second in Group A with nine points.

The result ended Young Africans’ hopes of progressing, as they finished third with eight points.

Meanwhile, TP Mazembe, despite a strong 4-0 win over Al Hilal in Kinshasa, ended in last place. Jean Diouf, Ibrahima Keita, Mercy Ngembe, and Souleymane Chaibou scored for TP Mazembe. Al Hilal had already secured the top spot in Group A with 10 points.

In Group C, Orlando Pirates topped the standings without losing any matches, defeating Al Ahly 2-1 in Cairo. After Rely Poli Mofokeng’s opener, Hussein Al-Shahat equalized for Al Ahly, but Chigofatso Mabasa scored the winner for Orlando Pirates. They finished with 14 points, while Al Ahly came second with 10 points.

Orlando Pirates edge Al-Ahly in the CAF Champions League
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Orlando Pirates edge Al-Ahly in CAF Champions League to reach next phase

Orlando Pirates have finished at the top of their CAF Champions League Group C without losing any matches. They secured this by beating the champions Al Ahly 2-1 at the Cairo International Stadium on Saturday evening.

The match between Al Ahly and Orlando Pirates concluded the sixth and final round of the group stage of the African Champions League.

Orlando Pirates’ first goal was scored by Rely Poli Mofokeng in the 53rd minute, followed by an equalizer from Al-Ahly’s Hussein Al-Shahat in the 69th minute.

In the 84th minute, Chigofatso Mabasa netted the second goal for Orlando Pirates. With this victory, Orlando Pirates topped the group standings with a total of 14 points as they progressed to the quarter-finals, while Al-Ahly finished in second place with 10 points.

Sierra Leone beat CAR to progress in Women's U17 World Cup qualifiers
by Football Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone beat CAR to progress in Women’s U17 World Cup qualifiers

The Sierra Leone U17 women’s team won 2-0 against the Central African Republic in Cameroon at the Multi-Purpose Japoma Stadium. They will now play the winner of the match between Guinea and Togo in the second round of the Women’s World Qualifier.

Aminat Kamara and Maseray Turay scored the goals that helped the team move forward in their quest for a spot in the 2025 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Morocco.

Coach Fatmata Turay’s team knew they could advance with just a scoreline draw, but they aimed higher and secured a two-goal victory after playing to a goalless draw in their first match in Sierra Leone.

The 2025 African U-17 Women’s World Cup qualification is the 10th edition of this tournament, open to players born on or after January 1, 2008. The four teams that win in the third round will qualify for the 2025 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.

In the first leg of the CAF World Cup qualifier, the Sierra Leone U17 Girls finished their match at the Southern Arena in a goalless draw.

Ivorian descent Romain Esse speaks after joining Crystal Palace
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Ivorian descent Romain Esse speaks after joining Crystal Palace

Ivorian descent Romain Esse has spoken for the first time since completing a club record £14.5 million transfer from Millwall to join South London rivals Crystal Palace.

The Lambeth-born winger was officially announced as a Palace player on Saturday morning, signing a five-and-a-half-year deal at Selhurst Park.

Esse, who made 66 appearances for Millwall after progressing through their youth system, will be eligible to play for Palace in their Premier League fixture next weekend against Brentford.

Eagles sporting director Dougie Freedman is known for discovering top young talent in the Championship, with notable successes including Adam Wharton, Michael Olise, and Eberechi Eze. Olise, who plays in the same position as Esse, left for Bayern Munich in the summer for £50 million.

“I’m very much looking forward to it – I’m really excited,” Esse told PalaceTV. “It’s a great project and opportunity – I can’t wait to get started. It’s been a long process, but I’m just happy it’s finally done. The club is heading in a fantastic direction.

“The next step in my development is very important. I believe this is the best place for me. I can’t wait to start playing under the manager.

“This is the perfect environment for opportunities and to elevate my game to the next level to advance my career. I’m eager to play in the Premier League, and most importantly, for Crystal Palace.”

International

On 22 March 2023, Esse debuted for England U18 in a 2-1 victory over Croatia in Medulin. Then, on 6 September 2023, he made his debut for England U19 during a 1-0 loss to Germany in Oliva.

Alhassan Crespo Kamara set for a return to Superettan football
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Alhassan Crespo Kamara set for a return to Superettan football

Alhassan Kamara, who unexpectedly retired from professional football due to warnings about the risk of ending up in a wheelchair, has begun training with Swedish Superettan club Varbergs BoIS, and a contract is expected to be finalized soon, Football Sierra Leone understands.

Four years after he announced his retirement, the former AIK striker looks certain to continue in the second-highest level of Swedish football.

After suffering an injury early in the 2014 season, Kamara scored his first goal on August 9 against Mjällby AIF. He went on to score 14 goals in the last 12 games of the season, despite often being substituted in the second half.

Notably, he played the full 90 minutes in only 7 out of 19 games. Kamara, 31, began his career with FC Kallon and joined Bodens BK, competing in Division 1 Norra, on July 29, 2011.

During his five-month loan at Boden, he scored five goals in 10 games. He then signed a contract with AIK on October 5, 2011. In the first half of the 2012 season, he made 11 appearances for AIK. After the summer, he was loaned out to Örebro SK, where he scored four goals in eight appearances.

On January 24, 2013, it was announced that he would again be loaned to Örebro SK for the remainder of the 2013 season. After that season, Örebro SK opted to purchase him from AIK, where he had struggled to make an impact, failing to score in 14 league appearances.

On September 2, 2018, the Greek Super League club Panetolikos officially announced the signing of Sierra Leonean international Alhassan Kamara Crespo until the end of the 2019-20 season.

The striker was released from Häcken after two successful seasons in the Swedish Allsvenskan. After a stint with IFK Värnamo, Kamara announced his retirement from football on September 23, 2021, following several years of issues related to a knee injury.

Alhassan Crespo Kamara trains with Varbergs Bois
Alhassan Crespo Kamara trains with Varbergs Bois