Category: Sport News

Kallum Cesay start for Salford against Lincoln City in Emirates Cup
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Kallum Cesay starts for Salford against Lincoln City in Emirates Cup

Sierra Leonean international Kallum Cesay start for Salford City in the Emirates FA Cup first round, where they will face Lincoln City at the Peninsula Stadium this Saturday, with kickoff scheduled for 3 PM GMT.

Salford City, enjoying a strong performance in Sky Bet League Two, currently holds third place in the league standings after securing back-to-back victories that have boosted their momentum.

Meanwhile, Lincoln City, competing in League One, is also enjoying a solid run of form and arrives at this pivotal match positioned among the top six teams in their league.

This encounter marks the first competitive meeting between Salford City and Lincoln City, heightening the anticipation for fans and players alike as both teams aim to advance in the prestigious cup tournament.

Tyrese Fornah's Northampton to kick start Emirates FA Cup first round proper against Lincoln
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Tyrese Fornah’s Northampton to kick start The Emirates FA Cup first round proper against Oldham Athletic

Sierra Leone International Tyrese Fornah and his Northampton Town team will kick off their Emirates FA Cup journey on Saturday with a match against Oldham Athletic in the first round. The match is set to start at 3pm.

Sierra Leone international Tyrese Fornah and his Northampton Town team will kick off their Emirates FA Cup journey on Saturday with a match against Oldham Athletic in the first round. The match is set to start at 3 pm.

Oldham is currently competing in Sky Bet League Two, positioned 18th with a record of three wins, seven draws, and four losses from 14 league matches this season.

Their most recent game saw Joe Garner score in the dying moments of stoppage time to secure a 2-2 draw against Shrewsbury Town at home.

Manager Micky Mellon has been in charge for just over two years. He took the helm in October 2023 and led Oldham to promotion back to the EFL last season, achieving a 3-2 victory over Southend United in the National League play-off final. In his playing career, the 53-year-old represented clubs such as Blackpool, Burnley, and Tranmere Rovers as a midfielder.

Battles Between Teams

The two teams have faced each other 41 times, with their first encounter occurring in 1959, resulting in a 2-1 victory for the Cobblers in Division Four.

The Cobblers have triumphed over their opponents 15 times, while there have been 10 draws and 16 wins for the Latics.

In their last match in April 2022, Jon Guthrie and Louis Appere found the net, leading the Cobblers to a 2-0 away victory in League Two.

Kamil Conteh's Bristol Rovers take on Bromley Emirates FA Cup
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Kamil Conteh’s Bristol Rovers take on Bromley in Emirates FA Cup

Bristol Rovers will kick off their Emirates FA Cup journey with an away match against fellow Sky Bet League Two team Bromley at the CopperJax Community Stadium.

Last season, the Gas advanced to the third round, defeating Weston-super-Mare 3-1 after extra time in their initial match. They then won against Barnsley on penalties, leading to a game against the then Premier League team Ipswich Town at Portman Road, where they suffered a 3-0 loss.

Rovers are looking to turn their fortunes around after four consecutive defeats in Sky Bet League Two, including a recent 4-0 loss to Crawley Town.

Bromley, on the other hand, is riding high after beating promotion hopefuls Milton Keynes Dons, thanks to goals from Rushian Hepburn-Murphy, Deji Elerewe, and Omar Sowunmi.

Bromley’s promotion to Sky Bet League Two in the 2023/24 season was dramatic, culminating in a playoff victory at Wembley, where they earned their first appearance in the fourth tier in history under manager Andy Woodman. Michael Cheek was a standout player, scoring 25 goals last season.

So far in the 2025/26 campaign, Bromley has collected 21 points from 14 games and secured two wins in their last three. Last season, they reached the third round of the Emirates FA Cup before facing Newcastle United.

Rovers and Bromley have met twice in official matches during the 2019/20 Emirates FA Cup, with Rovers winning 1-0 in the replay after a goalless draw.

The Emirates FA Cup match will take place at the CopperJax Community Stadium on Saturday, 1 November 2025, with kick-off scheduled for 3:00 pm.

Mustapha Bundu's Hannover share spoils with SV Elversberg
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Mustapha Bundu’s Hannover share spoils with SV Elversberg

Mustapha Bundu's side Hannover 96 in Germany's 2. Bundesliga played to a 2-2 draw against SV Elversberg in week eleven of the second tier season.

As a result, Elversberg remain unbeaten at home in the league this season, but missed the chance to go top – overnight at least – after twice being pegged back by Hannover.

Lukas Petkov headed in the opening goal to put the hosts in front, only for a Florian Le Joncour own goal to bring Hannover level late in the first half.

Hannover’s Enzo Leopold fired against the woodwork before Bambasé Conté restored Elversberg’s lead after Petkov’s penalty had been saved by Nahuel Noll.

Virgil Ghiță then headed in Leopold’s cross to rescue a share of the spoils for the promotion-chasing Reds with five minutes of normal time remaining.

Bundu, who signed a three-year contract with Hannover 96 for the 2025-26 season, started the contest but was subbed off in the 72nd minute.

Nigeria U17 Women's knockout of Fifa World Cup following heavy defeat to Italy
by Football Sierra Leone

Nigeria U17 Women’s knockout of Fifa World Cup following heavy defeat to Italy

Nigeria, the bronze medallists from 2022, have been knocked out of the ongoing FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup after suffering a 4-0 defeat to Italy on Tuesday.

The Italians continued their stellar performance in the tournament, marking four wins from four games. The Flamingos approached the match with determination, eager to prove they deserved their spot in the Round of 16.

Captain Shakirat Moshood came close to scoring in the 24th minute, but her powerful strike was saved by Italy’s goalkeeper Matilde Robbioni. Just before half-time, Anna Copelli gave Italy the lead by skillfully bypassing Nigeria’s defence and scoring.

In the second half, Nigeria thought they equalised when Nguemo Terlumun scored, but the goal was disallowed after a VAR review.

Italy then extended their lead with a stunning long-range strike from Caterina Venturelli, followed by a goal from Giulia Robino just five minutes later. Rachelle Giudici’s late goal was also confirmed by VAR, sealing Nigeria’s heavy defeat.

This loss ended Nigeria’s campaign in Morocco, but the Flamingos will now focus on the qualifying series for the next FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup.