Author: FSL News

* Established in 2014 © 2021 FSL MediaFootball Sierra Leone - all you need to know about the game in Sierra Leone and Sierra Leonean footballers at home and abroad.Founded by Alie Ahmed Bittar in 2014, Bittar is one of the leading journalists from Sierra Leone with over 25 years covering football.The award-winning website also covers football from across the continent.We aim to continue pursuing up-to-date reports for our readers in Sierra Leone and across the globe.FSL Media is always informative, accurate and consistent. Make Football Sierra Leone Your daily news feed.Follow our social media pages on Twitter @football_sierra, Instagram, Linkedin and Facebook. Permission to use our content is granted subject to crediting our website as the source.Contact: Managing Editor Alie Ahmed Bittar - Email: bittar@footballsierraleone.com - Tel: +44 (0) 7861141119
East End Lions ready for ASC Jaraaf's Interclub cracker
by FSL News

East End Lions ready for ASC Jaraaf’s Interclub cracker

After arriving in Bo on Tuesday, the team has been focused and determined. We look forward to the challenge we’ll face this Sunday in the CAF Confederation Cup, stated East End Lions’ head coach, Mohamed Lamin Kamara.

The East End giant side is gearing up for their Inter-Club first preliminary rounds match against ASC Jaraaf this Sunday at the Southern Arena Stadium in Bo City.

Their challenger, Senegal’s outfit ASC Jaraaf, safely arrived in Sierra Leone ahead of their contest against one of Sierra Leone’s most decorated sides, East End Lions.

Lions have been training rigorously at the Bo Coronation field as the players, under coach Mohamed Lamin Kamara, are working hard as our team prepares for the upcoming inter-club contest.

“We have been working on our tactics for this game. It’s going to be a difficult game. We have studied our opponents well; they are a good team, but we are prepared to showcase ourselves,” Coach Kamara explained. “We want to do our best for Sierra Leone – we hope everything will work in our favour. Everyone is happy, relaxed, and in good spirits.”

TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup Upcoming Fixtures – CLICK HERE

Ghana's defender Patric Pfeiffer joins Swiss Super League side Young Boys
by FSL News

Ghana’s defender Patric Pfeiffer joins Swiss Super League side

Ghanaian defender Patric Pfeiffer has moved to Swiss Super League champions Young Boys for the 2024/25 season.

“Reinforcement from the Bundesliga: 24-year-old central defender Patric Pfeiffer comes from FC Augsburg and will play the current season on loan at YB,” Young Boys posted on the official Facebook page.

Pfeiffer, who is 1.96m tall, joined Young Boys from German Bundesliga side FC Augsburg. He struggled to get playing time at FC Augsburg last season.

Born in Hamburg, Germany, to Ghanaian parents, Pfeiffer chose to play for Ghana last year after representing Germany’s under-18 and under-19 teams.

However, the Swiss side has confirmed that Pfeiffer will return to FC Augsburg at the end of the 2024/25 season.

Currently on loan to Young Boys, Pfeiffer will be aiming to assist the team as they take on Turkish giants Galatasaray in the UEFA Champions League play-off round, hoping to secure a spot in the group stage.

The 2024/25 CAF Interclub season will kick off on Friday
by FSL News

The 2024/25 CAF Interclub season set to kick off on Friday

The 2024/25 CAF Interclub season set to start this week with the Preliminary Rounds of the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup.

The First Preliminary Round First Leg will take place between August 16-18, with the return leg set for August 23-25, 2024.

The Second Preliminary Round will take place between September 13-15 for the first legs of the second round, while the return legs to confirm the draw for the Group Stages will be played between September 20-22, 2024.

The champions Al Ahly SC (Egypt), Esperance Sportive de Tunis (Tunisia), and Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa) don’t need to play in the first round of the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League. The top 12 clubs in the TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup, including holders Zamalek SC, also don’t need to play in the First Preliminary Round.

It’s early in both competitions, but fans can expect great matchups. Clubs from across Africa will try to qualify for the second round and the group stages.

In the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League, there are exciting matches like Young Africans, the Tanzanian champions, playing against Vital’O FC of Burundi. Also, Pyramids FC from Egypt will face JKU SC of Zanzibar, and former champions Orlando Pirates FC will face Disciples FC of Madagascar.

In the TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup, there’s an interesting match between Zambia’s Zesco United and Dynamos FC of Zimbabwe. UTS from Morocco will host RS Abidjan of Cote d’Ivoire, and Nsoatreman FC of Ghana will welcome TP Elect Sport of the Republic of Chad.

TotalEnergies CAF Champions League Fixtures – CLICK HERE 

TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup Fixtures – CLICK HERE

Winger David Kalokoh is in line to start against Jong PSV
by FSL News

Winger David Kalokoh in line to start against Jong PSV

Sierra Leone-born David Kalokoh is expected to be in the starting line-up when Jong PSV hosts Jong Ajax at PSV Campus De Herdgang on Monday, August 12, 2024, at 18:00 UTC in the first round of the Eerste Divisie.

Last season, both teams faced difficulties, with Jong Ajax finishing fifteenth on 40 points but with a better goal difference compared to the PSV youth team.

The current head-to-head records for the teams stand at Jong PSV’s seven wins, Jong Ajax’s eight wins, and seven draws. Kalokoh scored three goals in thirty-one appearances last season, and the young winger aims to improve this statistic in the upcoming games.

The 19-year-old signed a contract extension that will keep him at the club from September 1, 2023, until June 30, 2027. His previous contract was set to expire in 2024. David Kalokoh was born on April 21, 2005, in Kono, Sierra Leone, and he transferred from VVV-Venlo’s youth academy to Ajax’s youth academy in 2018.

On April 28 of this year, Kalokoh made his professional football debut during the Ajax U23 match against his former club VVV-Venlo, which ended with a score of 0-1. So far, he has played nine matches for Ajax U23, scoring one goal.

Ex-FIFA & CAF long-time leader Issa Hayatou is dead
by FSL News

Former long-serving CAF president Issa Hayatou dies

Issa Hayatou, the former president of the Confederation of African Football, has passed away at 77. He led the continental governing body for 29 years, from 1988 to 2017.

Gianni Infantino, the president of FIFA, expressed his condolences in a post on Instagram, saying, “Saddened to hear of the passing of former CAF president, former FIFA president and interim FIFA vice-president and FIFA Council member Issa Hayatou. A passionate sports fan, he dedicated his life to sports administration. On behalf of FIFA, condolences go to his family, friends, former colleagues and all who knew him. Rest in peace.”

Hayatou was also a member of the International Olympic Committee for 15 years, through 2016, and remained an honorary member.

Hayatou, a national champion runner, transitioned to a prominent role in soccer from his native Cameroon.

He held leadership positions in the Confederation of African Football and FIFA. Despite facing challenges, including a temporary FIFA presidency and subsequent investigations, Hayatou made significant contributions to the sport.

He was elected to lead the Confederation of African Football in 1988 and became vice president of FIFA within four years.

In 2002, Issa Hayatou lost in an election against Sepp Blatter, the then-president of FIFA, despite European support. In 2015, after corruption investigations, Hayatou became interim president of FIFA for four months.

In 2017, he lost the CAF presidency after a 29-year reign. Hayatou was later banned from soccer for one year for breaching the “duty of loyalty” and reprimanded by the IOC Ethics Commission in 2011.