Category: Football Africa

Alassana Jatta named in Gambia squad for crucial AFCON qualifiers
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Alassana Jatta named in Gambia squad for crucial AFCON qualifiers

Alassana Jatta’s strong performances for Notts County have earned him a call-up to the Gambia’s national team under Northern Irish boss Johnathan McKinstry. (Notts County Photo) 

He will join the squad for the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Comoros on November 15 and Tunisia on November 18, which means he will miss the league match against Crewe Alexandra.

Jatta could make his Gambia debut against Comoros in front of the fans at the Gambia Independence Stadium after the GFA received approval from the Confédération African Football (CAF).

The last home match was on March 25, 2021, when Gambia won 1-0 against Angola. Following that game, CAF banned the stadium and 22 others in Africa from hosting international matches in February 2022.

The return of international games is a significant milestone for Gambia’s football fans. The Scorpions, Gambia’s national football team, are currently in 3rd place in Group A, with 5 points from four games.

Victor Osimhen scores brace to help Galatasaray defeat Tottenham
by Football Sierra Leone

Victor Osimhen scores brace to help Galatasaray defeat Tottenham

Nigerian international Victor Osimhen scored two goals, leading Galatasaray to a 3-2 victory over Tottenham Hotspur, marking Tottenham’s first loss in the Europa League this season.

The match took place in Istanbul on Thursday evening in the UEFA Europa League. Teenage striker Will Lankshear netted his first goal for Tottenham, equalizing the score after Yunus Akgun’s impressive opening goal. Unfortunately for Tottenham, Lankshear received two yellow cards in the second half and was sent off.

Akgun scored the first goal in the sixth minute, and Osimhen added two more goals within eight minutes, giving Galatasaray a solid lead by halftime.

Tottenham struggled against the Turkish champions, who created numerous scoring opportunities but were unable to score again due to outstanding saves from Fraser Forster and some missed chances.

After Lankshear’s dismissal, Tottenham rallied, and Dominic Solanke came off the bench to score, narrowing the deficit. Ultimately, Galatasaray appeared more relieved when the final whistle blew.

Young prospect Mohamed Kader Meïté pens first pro contract
by Football Sierra Leone

Young prospect Mohamed Kader Meïté pens first pro contract

Seventeen-year-old Mohamed Kader Meïté has signed his first professional contract with Ligue 1 club Stade Rennais, marking an important step in his career.

Meïté, who also plays for France’s U17 team, will stay with the club until 2028. This move reflects the club’s belief in his talent and commitment to developing young players.

After signing, Meïté expressed his happiness, saying, “I feel a lot of joy; it’s a childhood dream come true. I will work hard to repay the trust placed in me. My goals are to improve and score goals.”

Meïté has impressed the youth teams with his skills and ambition. Stade Rennais is excited to see how he performs in professional football.

The club is exploring changes to its coaching staff and may consider Senegalese manager Habib Beye, who recently led Red Star FC to promotion.

With his contract secure, Meïté aims to contribute to the club’s success, working hard to help Rennes achieve its goals. Supporters and club officials will watch his progress closely, hoping he follows in the footsteps of successful players.

Malawi sacked head coach Patrick Mabedi after a poor run
by FSL News

Malawi sacked head coach Patrick Mabedi after poor qualifying results

Patrick Mabedi has been removed from his position as coach of the Malawi national team. This decision was reached after failing to win any of his last four Afcon qualifying matches.

The final straw was a recent 0-1 loss at home to Senegal, which ended the Flames’ chances of qualifying for the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) finals.

The Football Association of Malawi (FAM) announced Mabedi’s departure following five straight losses in all competitions. They made this decision based on recommendations from the Technical Committee due to the poor performance of the Flames team and their failure to qualify for the Afcon 2025.

FAM had hired Mabedi as the Flames coach last October on a two-year contract. He had performed well in a caretaker role, with three wins, two draws, and two losses after taking over from Mario Marinica, whose contract was not renewed in April 2023.

Under Mabedi’s leadership, the team struggled, recording two wins, one draw, and eight losses in 11 matches.

He lost support after dropping experienced players and left the Flames at the bottom of Group L in the AFCON qualifiers, having earned no points in four matches. Senegal has already secured a spot in the upcoming AFCON finals after defeating the Flames.

The Football Association of Malawi (FAM) has appointed Kalisto Pasuwa as the Malawi national football team’s interim head coach with immediate effect.

Guinea's Syli National ready for DRC and Tanzania deciders
by Football Sierra Leone

Guinea’s Syli National ready for DRC and Tanzania deciders

Guinea’s national football team, known as Syli National, is currently in second place in Group H after four qualifying matches.

After defeating Ethiopia 4-1 and Guinea 3-0 at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium in Abidjan, the Syli National team looks set to qualify for Morocco 2025.

Coach Michel Dussuyer has called up 23 players for the upcoming matches on the 5th and 6th days of the TotalEnergies Maroc 2025 qualifiers.

The team will host the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on November 16, 2024, at the Stade Alhassane Ouattara Ebimpe for the fifth qualifying match.

Then, they will travel to Dar es Salaam to face Tanzania on November 19, 2024, for the sixth and final match of this qualifying campaign.

In Group H, Guinea sits in second place with six points, while Tanzania is in third place with four points. Ethiopia is at the bottom of the table with just one point, and the DRC is leading with twelve points.