Category: Sport News

Kamil Conteh pens Bristol Rovers League One deal
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Kamil Conteh pens Bristol Rovers League One deal 

The club is thrilled to announce that Kamil Conteh has signed a contract which runs until June 2027. The 21-year-old midfielder has joined Rovers from League Two side Grimsby Town for an undisclosed fee.

Conteh made 29 appearances in all competitions this season for Grimsby Town. He has eight international caps with Sierra Leone and also has experience with Championship clubs Middlesbrough and Watford.

Conteh spent much of his youth career with Watford before joining Boro in May 2022, following a successful trial period. He started the 2022/23 season with five Premier League 2 appearances before moving out on loan to National League side Gateshead.

During his time at Gateshead, he played 34 times, scoring three goals, including in their FA Cup first-round match against Stevenage. His impressive form in the fifth tier attracted interest from several EFL clubs including the Mariners, who gave him a three-year deal in Lincolnshire.

Conteh was delighted to join Rovers and said: “I’m excited to be here and am looking forward to cracking on and getting playing. In terms of the size of the club, where they are in the table, and the manager’s plans for me, I just really wanted to be a part of it.”

Rovers boss Matt Taylor said, “I’m really pleased. It’s been in the pipeline for a little while, so I’m thrilled to get it over the line and get him down here and have him available for Saturday’s game. He’s a player we’ve admired for a while now. I think he adds something to our midfield. Obviously, on the back of Grant Ward’s injury, and the loan lads going back to their parent clubs, we’ve been a little bit light in that department. So, it’s important we have him here and that we keep adding to it.”

Overall, Kamil Conteh’s addition to the team is expected to improve Rovers’ midfield and contribute positively to the team’s performance.

Tunisia coach Jalel Kadri leaves post after AFCON exit
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Tunisia coach Jalel Kadri leaves post after AFCON exit

Jalel Kadri has resigned as coach of the Tunisian national football team. The team finished bottom of Group E with only two points and failed to progress to the knockout stage of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

Kadri, who led Tunisia to victory against France in the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, announced his resignation in a post-match television interview. 

He stated that his mission with the national team had come to an end. 

Tunisia had a disappointing performance in the AFCON, losing their opening match to Namibia and only managing a draw with Mali before being eliminated following a goalless draw with South Africa.

Tunisia failed to secure any victories in their matches against Ivory Coast, ending up last in Group E. This is quite a contrast to their performance 13 months ago when they beat France 1-0 at the World Cup in Qatar.

Hamza Rafia managed to score Tunisia’s 100th goal in the competition during their 1-1 draw with Mali. However, this was their only goal of the AFCON tournament.

Connect with us @football_sierra on Facebook/ Instagram, Football Sierra Leone, and the Writer Alie Bittar on Twitter @bittar32 African News.

Ivory Coast face holders Senegal in Mouthwatering duel
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Ivory Coast face holders Senegal in a gripping duel 

The Ivory Coast, hosts of the 2023 Cup of Nations, will face off against in-form holders Senegal in an exciting last-sixteen duel at the Stade Charles Konan Banny de Yamoussoukro on Monday. 

Morocco’s 1-0 triumph over Zambia in Group F on Wednesday ensured Ivory Coast finished as the fourth-best third-place team for the knockout stage.

Les Éléphants, who have won the tournament twice before, will be eagerly desperate to improve their performance in front of their home fans. 

A great opportunity awaits the Ivory Coast national football team to showcase their fantastic players. However, they must now display more class after barely making it to the last sixteen.

In their final group game, Ivory Coast suffered a shocking 4-0 defeat by Equatorial Guinea, which led to the sacking of coach Jean-Louis Gasset and his assistant Ghislain Printant due to their unsatisfactory results in the tournament. 

But despite being the underdogs, the host nation should not be ruled out easily in a knockout encounter.

The last time they played was in an international friendly in March 2017 which ended in a 1-1 draw at Stade Charlety in Paris.

Aliou Cissé’s side has progressed to this stage with maximum points by defeating Cameroon, the Gambia, and Guinea, making them the favourites on paper.

Morocco and South Africa will face each other in the Round of 16 of the CAF AFCON Côte d’Ivoire 2023. Morocco, who were semifinalists in the World Cup, are the favourites to win the tournament, but they must first defeat Bafana Bafana on January 30 at the Laurent Pokou Stadium.

The Super Eagles of Nigeria will take on the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon on Saturday, January 27, at the Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium in Abidjan. Despite Cameroon’s shaky start, they will be confident of their chances against an unpredictable Nigerian side.

Nigeria is hoping to win the AFCON trophy after a decade, and Rigobert Song’s side is determined to make it their sixth AFCON title.

https://twitter.com/bittar32/status/1750432968844165468

Connect with us @football_sierra on Facebook/ Instagram, Football Sierra Leone, and the Writer Alie Bittar on Twitter @bittar32 African News.

Sierra Leone striker Augustine Williams joins Indy Eleven
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Sierra Leone striker Augustine Williams joins Indy Eleven

Indy Eleven has announced that they have signed Sierra Leonean striker, Augustine Williams, for the upcoming 2024 USL Championship season.

Williams had an impressive performance last season, scoring sixteen goals for Charleston Battery in the USL Championship.

This will be the 26-year-old’s seventh professional club in the United States since he began his career with Portland Timbers 2 in 2016.

Indy Eleven has not disclosed the terms of the deal, and it is subject to league and federation approval as per club policy. Williams, who scored fifteen goals in 2022 with Charleston, is now embarking on a new adventure.

He was also named in the second-team All-USL honours for his performance last season, which is the second time in his career he has received this recognition.

He spent three seasons (2019-21) as part of the LA Galaxy and In 51 matches as part of the USL Championship’s Galaxy II squad, Williams tallied 20 goals and four assists.

Cup of Nations Ivory Coast hosts Sack Coach Gasset
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Cup of Nations hosts Ivory Coast Sack Coach Gasset 

The Ivory Coast, who are hosting the 2023 Cup of Nations, have announced that they have parted ways with their coach, Jean-Louis Gasset, and his assistant, Ghislain Printant, after failing to achieve satisfactory results in the tournament. 

This announcement was made by the country’s football federation (FIF) on Wednesday. “The contracts of coach Jean-Louis Gasset and his assistant Ghislain Printant are terminated due to insufficient results,” the FIF said in a statement.”

The team was defeated 4-0 by Equatorial Guinea in their last Group A match on Monday, which leaves them on the brink of elimination from the tournament. 

Ivory Coast needed favourable results in Wednesday’s final group matches to reach the knock-out phase as one of the four best third-placed teams.

 The team has only failed to progress from the group phase once in the previous nine editions of the tournament, in 2017.

Connect with us @football_sierra on Facebook/ Instagram, Football Sierra Leone, and the Writer Alie Bittar on Twitter @bittar32 African News.