Category: Football Africa

Ghanaian side Asante Kotoko announced Baba Yara's return.
by FSL News

Ghanaian side Asante Kotoko announced Baba Yara’s return

Asante Kotoko, a prominent football club in Ghana, has officially announced its return to the Baba Yara Sports Stadium for the remainder of the season.

The team, recognized as the 24-time champions of the Ghana Premier League, had been utilizing the Len Clay Sports Stadium while Baba Yara underwent renovation.

Asante Kotoko has a distinguished history, having claimed the CAF Champions League title on two occasions and being honoured as the African Club of the Century by the International Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFFHS).

In a recent statement, the club expressed, “We are pleased to announce our return to Baba Yara Stadium for our remaining home matches of the season.

This decision follows an official communication from the National Sports Authority confirming the completion of maintenance work at our historic venue.”

Currently, Asante Kotoko occupies the seventh position in the Ghana Premier League standings, trailing the leaders, Bibiani Gold Stars, by five points, with 22 matches left in the season.

Sierra Leone plummet eight places in latest FIFA ranking
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Sierra Leone plummet eight places in latest FIFA ranking

Sierra Leone has seen a significant drop in the latest FIFA rankings released on Thursday, following their unsuccessful attempt to qualify for the Morocco 2025 AFCON tournament next year.

This decline is attributed to poor performances in the recent African Cup of Nations match day five and six, where they drew against Chad and suffered a 2-0 defeat to Zambia in Group G as hosts nation.

From 121st to 129th in the global ranking – as a result, the West African nation has plummeted also to 38th on the continent, having conceded ten goals while scoring only five in the AFCON 2025 qualifiers.

Africa’s top ten ranked teams include Morocco, Senegal, Egypt, Algeria, Nigeria, Cote d’Ivoire, Cameroon, Mali, Tunisia and South Africa.

On the global stage, Argentina, captained by Lionel Messi, retains the top position, followed by France in second and Spain in third. England and Brazil hold the fourth and fifth spots, respectively.

These rankings reflect a busy international football calendar, which includes the World Cup 2026 qualifiers, AFCON 2025 matches, and Nations League fixtures.

Meanwhile, Niger made the biggest leap in the rankings, rising nine spots to 122nd globally with a total of 31.23 points.

The next FIFA ranking update is scheduled for December 12, 2024.

La Liga CD Leganés sign Ivorian striker Yan Diomande
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

La Liga CD Leganés sign Ivorian striker Yan Diomande

CD Leganés has signed Yan Diomande, an 18-year-old striker from Ivory Coast, who is known for his speed, skill, and ability to read the game, the club has said.

Diomande developed his talent in Ivory Coast and has shown a lot of potential, which has allowed him to move to European football.

He is expected to join the team at the end of this year or the beginning of 2025, depending on the completion of necessary paperwork.

He joins Leganés on a free transfer, showing the club’s commitment to developing young international players. After signing, Diomande said, “I am very grateful for this opportunity. I want to thank everyone involved in making this happen. I am fully committed and excited to get started.”

Zamalek off to a strong start in Confederation Cup group stage
by FSL News

Zamalek off to a strong start in Confederation Cup group stage

Match Day 01 of the TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup group stages featured three notable matchups in northern Africa. Defending champions Zamalek SC from Egypt, USM Alger from Algeria, and RS Berkane from Morocco each hosted their opening matches.

Zamalek SC, a two-time champion, secured a solid 2-0 victory over Mozambique’s Black Bulls FC, with goals from Ahmed Abdelhamid and Nabil Emad.  

In Group B, RS Berkane triumphed 2-0 against Angola’s Club Desportivo de Lunda Sul, with Issoufou Dayo scoring both goals.

The final match saw USM Alger deliver a dominating 6-0 win against Orapa United from Botswana, featuring two goals from Ismail Belkacemi and contributions from Saadi Raouani, Wale Alli, Nabil Lamara, and Islam Mrili.  

The TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup will continue with Match Day 02 on Sunday, December 8th.

Vital opening win for Simba in group stage start campaign
by Football Sierra Leone

Simba begins CAF Confederation group campaign with a vital win

Tanzanian team Simba SC began their TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup group stage with a 1-0 win against Angola’s Bravos do Maquis at the Benjamin Mkapa National Stadium in Dar es Salaam on Wednesday.

Jean Ahoua scored the only goal with a penalty in the first half, putting Simba at the top of Group A. The penalty occurred in the 27th minute after Edmilson from Bravos handled the ball.

Ahoua struck the penalty into the top left corner, out of the goalkeeper’s reach.

The match was intense, with both teams creating chances. Despite pressure from Simba and several close attempts by Steven Mukwala, they could not score again.

In the second half, Bravos sought to equalize, but Emmanuel Edmond had a penalty saved by Simba’s goalkeeper. Bravos missed other chances, and Simba’s Joshua Mutale hit the post in the 66th minute.

Both teams made substitutions, but neither could find the net in the final minutes. Simba’s solid defense held strong, securing an important win.

This victory positions Simba SC at the top of Group A, ahead of the later match between Tunisia’s CS Sfaxien and Algeria’s Constantine. Simba’s win could be crucial for their chances of reaching the knockout stages.