Category: Sport News

Alhassan Koroma's Al-Shahaniya suffer defeat to Al-Duhail
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Alhassan Koroma’s Al-Shahaniya suffer defeat to Al-Duhail

In an intense match at the Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium, Al Shahaniya faced a tough defeat against Al-Duhail, finishing with a score of 1-2 after Week 17 of the Ooredoo Stars League.

On Friday, the Sierra Leone International, who scored in their 3-2 win over Umm Salal last Sunday, played the full throttle of the tie in the Qatari Stars Super League.  

Despite a spirited effort, Al-Shahaniya’s performance saw them unable to secure the win, which left their total points stagnant at 23, causing them to slip to seventh place in the league standings.

They now find themselves tied on points with Al-Rayyan and Al-Shamal, who occupy fifth and sixth places, respectively. Meanwhile, Al-Duhail’s victory allowed them to regain the top position in the league, boosting their points to 38.

The first half of the match was particularly noteworthy, as Al-Shahaniya successfully held Al-Duhail—currently leading the standings—scoreless through 45 minutes. However, the tide turned just after the break when Michael Olunga netted Al-Duhail’s first goal in the 46th minute, placing pressure on Al-Shahaniya to respond.

The home team equalized in the 65th minute with a penalty conversion from Petrus Amersfoort, showcasing their resilience and determination.

Unfortunately for Al-Shahaniya, just five minutes later, Karim Boudiaf scored again for Al-Duhail, reclaiming the lead with a well-timed goal in the 70th minute. The match turned contentious as tensions rose, culminating in the ejection of substitute referee Francesco Antonucci in the 90+9 minute.

Al-Shahaniya’s starting formation for the match featured Shahab Al-Laithi in goal, supported by a defensive line consisting of Mohamed Ibrahim, Mohamed Badr Sayyar, Mark Martinez, and Lotfi Madjer.

In the midfield, they lined up Petrus Amersfoort alongside Youssef Hani and Andreas van Beek, while their attacking front comprised Moaz Al-Wadiya, Ali Al-Omari, and Al-Hassan Koroma. Despite their efforts, the team’s inability to convert opportunities into goals ultimately led to their defeat on this occasion.

Sierra Leone U-17 set for Guinea in Women’s World Cup qualifiers
by Football Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone U17 set for Guinea in Women’s World Cup qualifiers

Following their remarkable triumph over the Central African Republic in the first preliminary round, the Sierra Leone Women’s U-17 team is now poised to take on Guinea in the highly anticipated second preliminary round of the U-17 Women’s World Cup African Qualifiers.

A pivotal encounter looms as these young athletes continue their quest to qualify for the prestigious 2025 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, showcasing their skills on an international stage.

The stakes are raised even further, as the winner of this tightly contested fixture will advance to face the victor of the match between Ivory Coast and Burundi in the third and final round of the qualifiers, making every moment of this series critical in their journey toward World Cup aspirations.

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.

First-Leg: March 8, 2025, at Southern Arena, Bo City, a venue known for its vibrant atmosphere and passionate local supporters.

Second-Leg: March 15, 2025, at Stade Mamadou Konaté, Bamako, Mali, offering a competitive setting for this crucial match-up.  

Ex-Nigerian Midfielder Obi Mikel blasts Jamie Carragher over AFCON comments
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Ex-Nigerian Midfielder Obi Mikel blasts Jamie Carragher over AFCON remarks

Former Chelsea and Nigeria midfielder John Obi-Mikel offered a strong perspective in response to Jamie Carragher’s recent comments about the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), where Carragher suggested that the tournament lacks the same weight as the European Championship or the FIFA World Cup.

During a discussion about English football, Carragher mentioned that Mohamed Salah’s chances of winning the Ballon d’Or could be impacted by the perception of AFCON.

In a thoughtful reply on the Obi One Podcast, Mikel emphasized the significance of the AFCON, stating, “The Africa Cup of Nations is just as important as the Euros; I’ve participated in it and even won it.” He expressed his belief that everyone should appreciate the value of the tournament.

Mikel pointed out that while Carragher provides insights on winning in the Premier League, he has not personally experienced that triumph himself. He remarked, “It’s essential to recognize the prestige of AFCON, and it’s important to respect the achievements of players in that competition.”

His comments encourage a broader understanding of global football competitions and highlight the accomplishments of players representing their countries on the international stage.

Listen to more of Mikel Obi’s reaction via the Obi One Podcast!

Women's 2026 Cup of Nations first round qualifiers wrap-up
by Football Sierra Leone

Women’s 2026 Cup of Nations first round qualfiers wrap-up

Equatorial Guinea, former champions, will miss the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) after a surprising loss in the first round of qualifying on Wednesday.

In the second leg of their match against Tanzania, Equatorial Guinea was down 3-1. They could only manage a 1-1 draw at home, despite Tanzania being ranked 63 places lower.

Equatorial Guinea won the tournament in 2008 and 2012 but has not reached a Wafcon since 2018 when they finished last in their group.

In another surprising result, Kenya’s goalkeeper Lilian Awuor saved two penalties, helping her team eliminate Tunisia with a 1-0 win in North Africa. The Harambee Starlets scored early with a goal from Tereza Engesha, despite being ranked 71 places lower than Tunisia.

Botswana has been eliminated from the 2024 tournament without playing. They drew 0-0 away against DR Congo, who will participate in the finals, and ended up losing 2-0 on aggregate.

Togo and Mali were strong winners. Togo defeated Djibouti 10-0 on aggregate, while Mali beat Gabon 10-1 overall.

The second round of qualifiers will take place in October and will decide which 11 teams will join Morocco, the host, at the 2026 tournament. The reigning champions South Africa, along with Zambia and Nigeria, received a bye to the second round because of their high rankings.

The Confederation of African Football has not yet announced the dates for the 2026 Wafcon finals.

In other first-round matches, Ethiopia came back from a 2-0 deficit against Uganda, winning 2-0 on Wednesday and then 5-4 on penalties. Namibia also moved on after defeating Eswatini 1-0 for a 4-0 aggregate victory.

Burkina Faso will play Togo after winning against Burundi 5-1. DR Congo will face Wafcon holders South Africa after beating Botswana.

Kenya’s win over Tunisia means they will play The Gambia, who is ranked 23 places higher and won 4-1 on aggregate against Niger.

Mali will face Cape Verde, who won convincingly against Guinea with a 4-1 score, ttotalling6-3 on aggregate.

Benin will compete against 11-time champions Nigeria after beating Sierra Leone 5-2.

Egypt, trying to qualify for the finals for the first time since 2016, progressed after drawing 2-2 with Rwanda and winning 3-2 overall. They will play Ghana next.

Algeria will face Cameroon after defeating South Sudan 8-0 on aggregate.

Malawi received a bye since Congo-Brazzaville was suspended from international football. Senegal also moved on after Chad withdrew from qualifying.

In the second round, Senegal will play Ivory Coast, and Malawi will face Angola, who advanced by beating Zimbabwe 5-4 on penalties after a 3-3 aggregate tie.

Wafcon 2026 qualifying first-round results

  • Zimbabwe 2-1 Angola (3-3 agg) – Angola win 5-4 on penalties
  • Congo-Brazzaville P-P Malawi – Malawi progress via walkover
  • DR Congo 0-0 Botswana (2-0 agg)
  • Equatorial Guinea 1-1 Tanzania (2-4 agg)
  • Ethiopia 2-0 Uganda (2-2 agg) – Ethiopia win 5-4 on penalties
  • Namibia 1-0 Eswatini (4-0 agg)
  • Burkina Faso 4-1 Burundi (5-1 agg)
  • Togo 5-0 Djibouti (10-0 agg)
  • Algeria 3-0 South Sudan (8-0 agg)
  • Egypt 2-2 Rwanda (3-2 agg)
  • Kenya 1-0 Tunisia (1-0 agg)
  • The Gambia 2-1 Niger (4-1 agg)
  • Sierra Leone 1-3 Benin (2-5 agg)
  • Cape Verde 4-1 Guinea (6-3 agg)
  • Mali 4-1 Gabon (10-1 agg)
  • Senegal P-P Chad – Senegal progress after Chad withdrew
DRC International Yoane Wissa nets in Brentford draw with Everton
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

DRC International Yoane Wissa nets in Brentford draw with Everton

DRC international Yoane Wissa was on target as Everton managed to come back to secure a 1-1 draw against Brentford, stretching their unbeaten streak in the Premier League to seven games.

Yoane Wissa scored his 13th goal of the season, giving the home team the lead just before halftime, but David Moyes’ squad equalized with a header from Jake O’Brien in West London.

The Toffees gradually found their footing after Brentford’s quick start, although they squandered two prime scoring opportunities in the first half, with Beto being particularly unproductive on both chances.

The in-form striker could not get past Mark Flekken when he had a one-on-one opportunity in the 39th minute, and shortly after, Flekken came off his line to thwart him again.

Those missed chances cost Everton dearly as Brentford took the lead deep into stoppage time, where Kevin Schade’s long throw was headed onto the crossbar by Bryan Mbeumo before Wissa tapped in the rebound from close range.

Flekken did well to deny Jack Harrison’s corner, which nearly snuck in at his near post soon after the second half began, and Carlos Alcaraz later shot just wide from the edge of the box.

Wissa had another goal disallowed for offside before the visitors eventually broke through the Bees’ defence, with O’Brien heading Vitalii Mykolenko’s cross low past Flekken with 13 minutes left.

Following this match, Brentford stayed in 11th place in the Premier League rankings. Brentford has not secured a victory in a home game for six matches, despite starting the season unbeaten in eight games at home.