Category: Football Africa

Hafia prepares for Wydad's Champions League away cracker

Hafia prepares for Wydad’s Champions League away cracker

Guinean side Hafia FC continues their preparation for the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League second round second leg in Morocco next Saturday.

The North Africans have dominated the Inter-club competition in the last decade. Having won it in 2022, Wydad will make it a cracking showdown for the West African side.

Hafia FC came from behind to salvage a 1-1 draw in their first leg against Wydad Casablanca at the General Lansana Conté de Nongo Stadium on Sunday.

Wydad took the lead after Bouly Junior’s header from a free kick in the 8th minute. The home side levelled the scoreline through Mohamed Damaro Camara just before the break. 

In the second half, both teams were unable to find the winner to set up a very tough second-leg cracker.

Last season’s runners-up, Wydad Casablanca, to host the return fixture in Morocco on the 30th for a place in the group stages.

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First-leg scoreline between Hafia and Wydad Athletic Club
First-leg scoreline between Hafia and Wydad Athletic Club
Sierra Leone hit new low in latest Fifa ranking

Sierra Leone hit new low in latest Fifa ranking

Sierra Leone’s Leone Stars have plummeted four places from 120 in July to 124 in the latest Fifa men’s ranking for September released on Thursday.

John Keister’s side suffered a 2-1 defeat to Guinea-Bissau as they wrapped up the African Cup Nations qualifiers.

Despite Sierra Leone’s early goal, the Djurtus Wild Dogs of Bissau defeated Sierra Leone 2-1 at the Estádio 24 de Setembro to defeat their visitors as they wrap up the AFCON 2023 qualifiers.

Sierra Leone’s best rank was when they moved to 50th place in the FIFA World Rankings and 7th in Africa – their highest ever placing on 14 Aug 2014 under the supervision of Irish coach Jonny Mckinstry.

In Africa, The Carthage Eagles of Morocco are the best-ranked team. Senegal’s Terangha Lions of Senegal, Carthage Eagles of Tunisia, D

The foxes of Algeria and the Pharaohs of Egypt make the top five.

World champions Argentina retained their number one position on the ranking. France, Brazil, England and Belgium complete the top five teams in the world.

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Sierra Leone hit new low in latest Fifa ranking after Guinea-Bissau defeat
Sierra Leone hit new low in latest Fifa ranking after Guinea-Bissau defeat
Middlesbrough confirm Alex Bangura's hamstring injury

Middlesbrough confirm Alex Bangura’s hamstring injury

Middlesbrough boss Michael Carrick has revealed new acquisition Alex Bangura suffered a hamstring injury on his debut. (Alex Bangura of Middlesbrough (Image: Gareth Evans/News Images)

On Saturday, Sierra Leone International Alex Bangura made his Middlesbrough debut in their 2-1 defeat against Blackburn Rovers at Edwood Park.

The left-back was forced in the 68th minute in Saturday’s defeat as he missed the Middlesbrough Championship 1-1 draw against Sheffield Wednesday on Tuesday.

Carrick said after Tuesday’s draw, “It is a hamstring injury that Alex has picked up. We’re still assessing that one in terms of how bad it is, but obviously he wasn’t right for tonight.”

After his Boro debut, his manager Carrick had said that he hoped it would just be a cramp as they were waiting for test results when he last spoke to the media ahead of Tuesday evening’s trip to Hillsborough.

Alex Bangura Middlesbrough FC English Championship

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Alex Bangura suffers debut injury
Alex Bangura suffers debut injury
No Werder Bremen deal for Kallum Cesay after trials

No Werder Bremen’s deal for Kallum Cesay after trial

Werder Bremen chief Clemens Fritz has revealed to Kallum Cesay‘s agent that the club will not sign the player after trials last week. (Photo: nordphoto GmbH / Kokenge)

The German club want to strengthen their right-back position as the former Tottenham youth defender Kallum Cesay was on test.

Cesay, 21, was released by the London club at the end of the season, still in search of a new destination in club football. 

On Tuesday, Bremen informed the player and his agent that they were not planning to work with him.

Professional boss Clemens Fritz told BILD: “After long considerations, we decided against a commitment. Kallum made a good contribution to the days, both physically and personally, and gave his all. But he is still a long way from the Bundesliga. 

He added, “Using him primarily in the U23 would have made no sense. We didn’t want to harm any of our boys who we want to develop.”

The Sierra Leone national player with four caps has now left Bremen.

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Head coach Peter Bosz named Isaac Babadi in his 22-man PSV squad for Group B match in the UEFA Champions League.

Isaac Babadi in PSV squad for Arsenal Champions League opener

Head coach Peter Bosz named Isaac Babadi in his 22-man PSV squad for the Group B match in the UEFA Champions League.

Babadi, 18, could feature against Arsenal as PSV Eindhoven takes on the London Club in their Champions League Group B at the Emirates Stadium this evening. 

The youngster trained with the PSV 22-man squad at the Emirates ahead of their first group-stage game of the campaign. On the 8th of August, he scored his first PSV Champions League goal in their 4-1 win over Sturm Graz.

For the first time in five years, PSV will play in the group stage of the UEFA Champions League. Last year, both clubs also played against each other, when the English came out on top. 

Today’s tie will be the fifth meeting between Arsenal FC and PSV in a European competition. It has been a while since the last time PSV won an away match against an English club in the UEFA Champions League. 

Visiting Newcastle United in the 1997-1998 season, PSV took the three points back to Eindhoven after a 2-0 win. Luc Nilis and Gilles de Bilde were responsible for the goals. 

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Isaac Babadi trains with PSV squad at the Emirates in London on Tuesday
Isaac Babadi trains with PSV squad at the Emirates in London on Tuesday