Author: Alie Bittar @bittar32

Difficult task ahead of East Africa AFCON for Sierra Leone
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Sierra Leone placed in Group E for the race to East Africa

The Leone Stars of Sierra Leone will compete with a stiff contest against African powerhouse DR Congo, stubborn Equatorial Guinea and improving Zimbabwe in Group E as they aim for their fourth appearance in the Cup of Nations in 2027.

This comes after the PAMOJA Qualifiers Draw held in Cairo, Egypt, on 19 May. The Leone Stars of Sierra Leone, who did not qualify for the last tournament in Morocco, are in search of a new head coach.

They participated in the Cameroon 2021 tournament but were eliminated in the group stage. Their last match was a 1-0 loss to Equatorial Guinea on 20 January 2022, finishing third in Group E behind Ivory Coast and Equatorial Guinea.

The road to East Africa will be challenging for whoever takes charge of the Leone Stars. There will be 48 teams divided into 12 groups, with four teams in each group. The top two teams from each group will qualify for the Final Tournament.

The Qualifiers will take place during three FIFA International Windows:

– Matchdays 1 and 2: from 21 September to 6 October 2026
– Matchdays 3 and 4: from 9 to 17 November 2026
– Matchdays 5 and 6: from 22 to 30 March 2027

The tournament is scheduled from 19 June to 17 July 2027 and will be held in East Africa for the first time in 51 years, with Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania as co-hosts.

Sierra Leone Last Three and only appearances

3 (first in 1994) Group stage – (1994, 1996, 2021)

Sierra Leone Confirmed in Pot 3 for 2027 AFCON Qualifiers
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Sierra Leone Confirmed in Pot 3 for 2027 AFCON Qualifying draw

Sierra Leone will be in Pot 3 for the draw of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualification series on Tuesday.

The Leone Stars, who did not qualify for the last tournament in Morocco, will find out who they will compete against as they work to secure a place in the event. The tournament will be co-hosted by Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania.

The country’s football association is seeking a new manager after firing former head coach Mohaed Kallon.

Pot 1 includes some of Africa’s top-ranked teams, such as the current champions Morocco, along with Senegal, Nigeria, Algeria, Egypt, Ivory Coast, Tunisia, Cameroon, DR Congo, Mali, South Africa, and Burkina Faso.

A total of 48 teams will compete, organised into 12 groups of four. Each group will have one team from each pot.

The top two teams from each group will qualify for the final tournament. Groups with a co-host nation will get an extra spot for qualification.

Cardoso Calls on Sundowns to Stay Hungry Despite First-Leg Advantage
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Miguel Cardoso calls for Sundowns to stay hungry despite first-leg advantage

Mamelodi Sundowns head coach, Miguel Cardoso, has urged his players to remain cautious after their 1-0 win against FAR Rabat in the first leg of the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League final. He emphasised that the toughest challenge lies ahead in Morocco.

Aubrey Modiba scored the only goal with a free-kick, but Cardoso felt they should have scored more to secure a better lead. “We needed at least one more goal for a stronger advantage,” he said.

While the fans celebrated, Cardoso maintained that the team must stay focused for the return leg if they want to win Africa’s top club tournament again. He acknowledged their ability to compete with strong opponents and noted that Sundowns controlled much of the match, albeit struggling against Rabat’s tight defence and counter-attacks.

Brian Leon Muniz missed a clear chance, and Teboho Mokoena hit the post with another free-kick. Cardoso stressed the importance of maintaining focus for the trophy.

“We need to keep our energy up and stay sharp for the second leg,” he said, reminding them to ignore the crowd in Rabat.

Defensively, Sundowns did well to limit FAR Rabat’s attacks despite the visitors having more possession at times. Cardoso praised their discipline but pointed out that breaking down Rabat’s defence was challenging.

“We need to manage the ball better and find gaps,” he said. Overall, Cardoso was pleased with his team’s mindset, stating, “We were strong for most of the game. That’s the mentality we need for the second match.”

Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Miguel Cardoso calls for a show of character
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Miguel Cardoso calls for a show of character

Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Miguel Cardoso has asked his team to show their character against AS FAR in the first leg of the CAF Champions League final on Sunday.

This is Sundowns’ last chance to win a trophy this season after losing 3-2 to TS Galaxy, which hurt their hopes of defending their Premiership title.

They finished the league three points ahead of Orlando Pirates, who still have two games left. Sundowns have struggled in continental competitions, winning only two of their six group matches and losing to Stade Malien in the quarter-finals. They beat ES Tunis 1-0 at home and away to reach the final again.

“The season still has two matches left. It’s time to gather our energy,” said Cardoso. “The players will show their strength for the Champions League final.”

Al-Zaeem are in the final for the second time, having won it in 1985. They surprised many by drawing with Al Ahly and beating Pyramids in the quarter-finals.

Santos’ team lost just their second game in 14 when they were beaten 1-0 by RS Berkane in the semi-finals, but they secured their final spot with a 2-0 win in the first leg.

“Pressure can motivate us. We focus on keeping players calm while respecting the opponent,” said Santos. “Reaching the final means we deserve to be there, and we will aim for a good result.”

Tunisia named squad for FIFA 2026 World Cup
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Tunisia coach Lamouchi names squad for the FIFA 2026 World Cup

Tunisia announced its team for the FIFA World Cup 2026 on Friday. This will be their seventh appearance at the tournament.

The team will compete against the Netherlands, Japan, and Sweden in the group stage. Burnley’s Hannibal Mejbri is the most notable player on the squad.

Captain Ferjani Sassi, who has played 101 times for Tunisia, and defender Yassine Meriah, who is close to his 100th cap, were both left out of the team.

Tunisia qualified for the World Cup for the third time in a row by finishing first in its group during the CAF qualifiers. The team earned 28 points from 10 games and impressively did not concede any goals.

TUNISIA FULL SQUAD FOR FIFA WORLD CUP 2026

Goalkeepers: Aymen Dahmen, Sabri Ben Hassen, Abdelmouhib Chamakh

Defenders: Yan Valery, Moutaz Neffati, Dylan Bronn, Raed Chikhaoui, Montassar Talbi, Adem Arous, Omar Rekik, Ali Abdi, Mohamed Ben Hmida

Midfielders: Ellyes Skhiri, Anis Ben Slimane, Rani Khedira, Mortadha Ben Ouanes, Ismaël Gharbi, Mohamed Hadj-Mahmoud, Hannibal

Forwards: Elias Saad, Khalil Ayari, Elias Achouri, Sebastian Tounekti, Hazem Mastouri, Firas Chawat, Rayan Elloumi