Category: Sport News

Alpha Conteh happy with Lokomotiv Plovdiv's run of form
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Alpha Conteh happy with Lokomotiv Plovdiv’s run of form

Sierra Leone International Alpha Conteh has admitted he is pleased with his present playing time and run of form in the Bulgarian efbet League.

The attacking midfielder scored his fourth goal of the season in Lokomotiv Plovdiv’s 3-0 hammering of Pirin Blagoevgrad on Monday.

After a goalless first 45 minutes, Conteh’s goal came in the 51st minute when he received a cross from the right to score with an acrobatic beautiful opener.

Lokomotiv Plovdiv went on to score two more goals from D. Babacar and G. Minchev in the 53rd and 63rd, respectively, as they registered their eleventh win of the campaign.

“I am happy – I am grateful for my performances so far. I want to keep the focus on helping the team as much as possible,” Conteh to Football Sierra Leone.  He added, “I was happy to be named Man of the Match in a tough game against Pirin Blagoevgrad.”

Monday’s victory is their fiRst after they suffered a three-straight defeat in all competitions.

Connect with us @football_sierra on Facebook/ Instagram, Football Sierra Leone, the writer Alie Bittar, On Twitter @bittar32, Players Abroad News and Bulgarian League News. 

Lokomotiv Plovdiv hammered Pirin Blagoevgrad 3-0 in the Bulgarian League on Monday.
Lokomotiv Plovdiv hammered Pirin Blagoevgrad 3-0 in the Bulgarian League on Monday.
Victor Osimhen named Africa Player of the Year Award
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Victor Osimhen named Africa’s Player of the Year

Napoli and Nigeria striker Victor Osimhen has been named as the CAF Men’s Player of the Year for 2023.

Osimhen scored 26 Serie A goals and was crowned the Italian Footballers’ Association Player of the Year for his Napoli performances last season.

The Nigerian International fought off competition from Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah and Paris Saint-Germain’s Achraf Hakimi to the title on Monday night. 

He becomes the first Nigerian player to win the award since Arsenal’s Nwankwo Kanu in 1999 and is also the first active Serie A player to be crowned Africa’s Player of the Year since Samuel Eto’o when he was at Inter in 2010. 

Meanwhile, Nigerian Asisat Oshoala extended her record sixth CAF African Women’s Player of the Year Award.

  • Full List of Award Winners:

Player of the Year (Men): Victor Osimhen (Nigeria, Napoli)

Player of the Year (Women): Asisat Oshoala (Nigeria, Barcelona)

Interclub Player of the Year (Men): Percy Tau (South Africa, Al Ahly)

Interclub Player of the Year (Women): Fatima Tagnaout (Morocco, AS FAR)

Coach of the Year (Men): Walid Regragui (Morocco)

Coach of the Year (Women): Desiree Ellis (South Africa)

Goalkeeper of the Year (Men): Yassine Bounou (Morocco, Al Hilal)

Goalkeeper of the Year (Women): Chiamaka Nnadozie (Nigeria, Paris FC)

Young Player of the Year (Men): Lamine Camara (Senegal, Metz)

Young Player of the Year (Women): Nesryne El Chad (Morocco, Lille)

National Team of the Year (Men): Morocco

National Team of the Year (Women): Nigeria

Club of the Year (Men): Al Ahly (Egypt)

Club of the Year (Women): Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa)

Connect with us @football_sierra – on Facebook/ Instagram, Football Sierra Leone, African News and CAF 2023 Awards.

Nigeria’s Oshoala and Osimhen win African footballer of the year awards
Nigeria’s Oshoala and Osimhen win African footballer of the year awards
Amadou Bakayoko nets fifth of the season in Dundee's defeat at Ibrox
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Amadou Bakayoko nets fifth of the season in Dundee’s defeat at Ibrox

Amadou Bakayoko scored Dundee’s opening goal to record his fifth of the season as they suffered a 3-1 defeat to Rangers at Ibrox on Saturday.

The Sierra Leone International was at the right place to tap in a leaking ball, but Rangers came from behind to beat Dundee 3-1 and move five points behind Celtic, despite Jose Cifuentes’ first-half red card after a VAR check.

In sixteen appearances, Bakayoko scored his fifth of the season since joining the Scottish side on loan from Forest Green, but the home side fought back to score three goals before halftime. 

Cyriel Dessers equalised, and a few minutes later, Tavernier put Rangers ahead from the penalty spot following a VAR review. 

Abdallah Sima made it three before Jose Cifuentes was red-carded after another VAR review on the stroke of halftime. 

After the recess, Dundee improved as they enjoyed the large majority of possession, but Rangers held onto their lead.

The defeats meant Dundee sat seventh after round fifteen of the Scottish Premier League. 

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Sierra Leone International Mustapha Bundu started his second match for Plymouth Argyle as they suffered a 4-0 thrashing to Championship leaders Leicester City.
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Leicester City thrash Mustapha Bundu’s Plymouth Argyle

Sierra Leone International Mustapha Bundu started his second match for Plymouth Argyle as they suffered a 4-0 thrashing to Championship leaders Leicester City. 

Bundu, 26, who bookmarked his eleventh appearance since joining the club, was substituted in the 57th minute. 

The host started brightly after a spot-kick scored by Stephy Mavididi set the Foxes on their way to maintaining their lead in the standings.

Patson Daka, who marked his first start of the season for Leicester City, scored the second goal as the Championship leaders thrashed Plymouth Argyle.

Stephy Mavididi scored his brace from another penalty call in the 52nd minute before Wilfred Ndidi completed their win three minutes later. 

Three goals were scored in six second-half minutes, Daka, Mavididi and Wilfred Ndidi 49, 52 and 55 minutes, respectively, as the Foxes ensured they remained one point clear at the summit in style.

Miller and Bundu were replaced by Ryan Hardie and Brendan Galloway.  Argyle mustered some attacking impetus but was too late for any consolation.

However, Azaz stretched the Leicester defence as Jan Vestergaard snuffed out the danger with a well-timed challenge.

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A great eye-opener to football: Kei Kamara after his USA B License
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

A great eye-opener to football: Kei Kamara after his US B License

The former Sierra Leone International striker Kei Kamara could not hide his joy after earning his first coaching B-Licence from the United States Soccer Federation.

The 39-year-old striker, who’s third all-time in the MLS scoring chart (144 goals), speaking to Football Sierra Leone, discussed his six months of coaching learning experience. He confirmed the news when he posted his certificate on social media on Friday. 

Kamara, who joined Chicago in a trade from CF Montréal as he secured his 10th MLS club, acknowledged the ‘eye-opening side of football offfield’.

 “The whole experience was a great eye-opening about football,” Kei Kamara lamented. When you play, you see the game differently. When you start to coach, obviously, perspective changes.”

“I loved the prpocess of building trainings, knowing the reason why we going into trainings day by day is challenging yourself as a coach.”

Being a coach, you never want to be comfortable. So, there is some part of being a player that also comes toward that. It depends on how you have worked as a player and as an athlete – you challenge yourself, which drives you when you become a coach. 

“It feels like school all over again. After completing this badge, I now know I have more experience coaching than I thought I did because of my experience playing professional football. Because I thought i knew a lot more because of the years I played. But, no, after six months of course work, I have learned a lot more than I played for all those years.”

This license is designed for coaches looking to lead U13 or higher level teams in a competitive environment with a more intermediate to advanced skill set. Any coach with their B license will be able to apply and evaluate player development within the game and optimize the learning environment for their team. Among other requirements, coaches will be required to run three training sessions per week and perform thorough video analysis throughout the process.

Connect with us @football_sierra – on Facebook/ Instagram, Football Sierra Leone, Players Abroad News and Kei Kamara News.