Author: Alie Bittar @bittar32

DRC's Yoane Wissa to miss Newcastle encounter against Wolves
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

DRC’s Yoane Wissa to miss Newcastle encounter against Wolves

Eddie Howe has revealed that Yoane Wissa will be absent from his Newcastle United debut this weekend.

The Congolese forward was set to make his first appearance for the Magpies after his £55 million transfer from Brentford in the recent transfer window.  

Howe stated that Wissa, 29, had sustained a knee injury while on international duty with the DR Congo and is still affected by it.  

“Sadly, he won’t be available for this match,” the Newcastle manager commented on his new addition.  

“I just saw him for the first time yesterday, and he’s still dealing with the effects of the injury he picked up just before he left [during international duty]. We will need to assess how he is.”  

When asked why he was prepared to invest such a significant amount to acquire the striker, Howe answered: “Finding an established Premier League goalscorer is quite rare and challenging.”

“He possesses exceptional qualities and had an outstanding year not just last year, but also in the year prior. He has a proven track record of scoring goals.

He has performed well against us and has been a challenging player to manage in our matchups. I genuinely admire the journey he has undertaken to reach this point, as it has not been easy for him.”

Egypt one win away to reach 2026 World Cup after stalemate in Ouagadougou
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Egypt close in on 2026 World Cup after stalemate in Ouagadougou

Egypt's will have to wait for a place in next World Cup after they played to a goalless draw against Burkina Faso on Tuesday in Ouagadougou during the eighth round of the African qualifiers. (Photo Credit Pouire service photographie)

Now, Egypt will face Djibouti on October 6, hoping to secure its spot in the World Cup. Currently, Egypt leads Group A with 20 points, which is five points ahead of second-placed Burkina Faso.

They need just one point from their next two games to secure a spot in the tournament. Coach Hossam Hassan used a different strategy by setting up a strong defence with five defenders.

Egypt started the game defensively, managing Burkina Faso’s early pressure. Despite the noisy crowd, Egypt defended well and posed a threat on counter-attacks, using the speed of Mohamed Salah and Mahmoud ‘Trezeguet’ Hassan.

The match started with Trezeguet’s long-range shot missing the target six minutes in. Egypt faced a setback when Omar Marmoush was injured, replaced by Osama Faisal.

Burkina Faso threatened with a free kick after twenty minutes, but Egypt’s defence held strong, and Toure shot over the bar from the rebound. Trezeguet’s powerful shot was saved by Koffi, leaving the first half goalless.

In the second half, Egypt played cautiously, allowing Burkina Faso to control possession. Mohamed Salah assisted Trezeguet, but Koffi saved again. Salah had a goal disallowed for offside in the 67th minute.

Dango Ouattara missed a header late in the game, and Coach Hassan made substitutions with five minutes left. Mostafa Mohamed had two chances to score but couldn’t convert.

Sierra Leone edge Ethiopia in Group A World Cup qualifier
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Sierra Leone edge Ethiopia in Group A World Cup qualifier

Sierra Leone secured a 2-0 victory over Ethiopia in their Group A World Cup qualifiers, giving themselves a slim possibility of reaching the playoffs.

Momoh I Kamara scored for Sierra Leone in the 37th minute, capitalising on a smart pass from Sallieu Tarawallie. Substitute Alhassah Koroma sealed the victory for the home team in extra time.

Blackburn Rovers attacker Kargbo came close for Sierra Leone with his strike, which hit the crossbar before flying over.

The host enjoyed much possession in the opening exchanges at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Stadium, with Blackburn Rovers winger Augustus Kargbo, Momoh Kamara and skipper Mustapha Bundu being the most dangerous in attack and making life difficult for the Ethiopians.

Under a sunny sky at Samuel Kanyon Doe Stadium, the hosts displayed promising moments against their opponents, effectively controlling and moving the ball all around the pitch.

Head coach Mohamed Kallon made five changes to his squad that were held in Guinea-Boissau 1-1 last Thursday, aiming to maximise his squad as the likes of Kei Kamara, Buya Turay, and Alhassan Koroma all named on the bench as Leone Stars settled with a 1-0 lead in the first half.

After the recess, the visitors tried many tactics but couldn’t find the back of the net. Sierra Leone’s Buya Turay nearly scored from a direct free kick, as the ball hit the crossbar and went over.

Alhassan Koroma finally got the second for the Leone Stars in extra time, sending the fans into ecstasy. 

These three vital points are crucial for coach Kallon’s team as they prepare to challenge Burkina Faso and Djibouti in October for the final two matches of the qualifiers.

Egypt is leading Group A with 19 points, followed by Burkina Faso with 14 points and Sierra Leone with 12 points. Guinea-Bissau is in fourth place after their recent 2-0 win over Djibouti, which is at the bottom of the table with only 1 point.

Substitutions

90+3 substitution for Sierra Leone. Mohamed Billoh Kabba comes on for Emmanuel Samadia.

90+3 substitution for Sierra Leone. Musa Kamara comes on for Saidu Fofanah.

76′ Substitution for Ethiopia. Dawa Hotessa comes on for Wogene Gezahegn.

70′ substitution for Sierra Leone. Mohamed Buya Turay comes on for Momoh Kamara.

70′ substitution for Ethiopia. Suleiman Hamid comes on for Bereket Desta.

64′ substitution for Sierra Leone. Alhassan Koroma comes on for Mustapha Bundu.

64′ substitution for Sierra Leone. Comes on for Augustus Kargbo.

46′ substitution for Ethiopia. Ahmed Reshid comes on for Asrat Tonjo.

46′ substitution for Ethiopia. Kenean Markneh comes on for Abdulkerim Worku.

46′ substitution for Ethiopia. Bereket Wolde comes on for Mohammed Abera.

Egypt is leading Group A with 19 point followed by Burkina Faso with 14 points and Sierra Leone with 12 points ahead of next month's doubleheader
Egypt is leading Group A with 19 point followed by Burkina Faso with 14 points and Sierra Leone with 12 points ahead of next month's doubleheader
Five changes to Sierra Leone's line-up against Ethiopia
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Five changes to Sierra Leone’s line-up against Ethiopia

Sierra Leone will start Mustapha Bundu and Momoh I Kamara against Ethiopia today in Liberia. The Leone Stars are looking for a win in this important World Cup qualifying match.

Head coach Mohamed Kallon made five changes for the game, which kicks off at 1:00 PM on Tuesday.

John Bilili Sesay, a midfielder from Bhantal, and Saidu Fofanah from the Kazakhstan Premier League side Zhetysu are also in the lineup.

Alhaji Sesay will continue as the goalkeeper. Nathaniel Jalloh will replace Osman Kakay at right-back. Alpha Turay and Abdulai Juma Bah will play as centre-backs, while Sallieu Tarawallie will be in defence.

In Group A, Egypt leads the table with 19 points, while Burkina Faso is in second place with 14 points. Burkina Faso will host Egypt in their next match. Guinea-Bissau moved to third place after their 2-0 win over Djibouti on Monday, bringing their total to 12 points. Sierra Leone is currently in fourth place with 9 points, while Djibouti sits at the bottom of the table with only 1 point.

Five changes to Sierra Leone's line-up against Ethiopia
Five changes to Sierra Leone's line-up against Ethiopia
Ghana Black Stars close in on 2026 World Cup spot after win over Mali
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Ghana Black Stars close in on 2026 World Cup spot after win over Mali

Ghana moved closer to qualifying for the 2026 World Cup by beating Mali 1-0 at home.

Alexander Djiku scored the only goal in the 49th minute after Mali’s goalkeeper, Djigui Diarra, could not catch a corner from Jordan Ayew.

Mali needed a win to keep their chances of automatic qualification alive. They controlled the game for the last half hour but could not break through Ghana’s strong defence.

With this victory, Ghana now has 19 points and a three-point lead at the top of Group I with two more matches to play next month.

Otto Addo’s team will play away against the Central African Republic and then host Comoros. A single win in these matches could secure their place in the World Cup for the second time in a row.

In the African qualifying, only the nine group winners are guaranteed a spot in the tournament next year, but the four best-ranked teams can enter the playoffs.

The top-seeded Mali have yet to compete in the World Cup finals and can no longer finish at the top of the group.

Mali are currently in fourth position in the standings, four points behind Madagascar, who are in second place after coming back to defeat Chad 3-1 earlier on Monday.