TV-News24 Sports

11/26/2022

Sport News!!!

Archrivals Lions, Blackpool Share Preseason Points In Friendly Soccer Tourney

By Patrick Tamba Nyandemoh, Sports Correspondent
TV-News24 * November 26, 2022 at 12:03 p.m. [EST]

FREETOWN (TV-New24 Sports) - In a preseason friendly soccer competition organized by newly promoted premier league side Luawa Football club, two of the country’s arguably most successful soccer teams - and notorious archenemies - locked horns to a 1-1 stalemate Thursday, at the Attouga Mini Stadium here in the capital.

East End Lions FC opened the scoring in the 20th minute of play from a penalty spot - which Ghanaian-born midfielder Samuel Bekoe
converted into the right bottom corner for a 1-0 lead.

But Mighty Blackpool Football Club wasted no time when just before the end of half, capitalized from sloppy defending by E.E. Lions to level the score at 1-1.

That uncharacteristic poor defending from the roaring Lions gave Blackpool’s attacking midfielder Santigie Sesay, the opportunity to blast home into the top left corner - a cracker the goalie couldn’t stop.

The two teams had great expectations before the kickoff given the rivalry that exists between them relative to the country’s soccer history.

Thursday’s intense encounter drew hundreds of spectators to the field to witness yet another great showpiece of soccer between these two archrivals.

Speaking to TV-News24 (Sports) shortly before kickoff, Alusine Kargbo, head coach of Blackpool, said, “It is indeed [going to be] a great encounter given the history between the two teams, and [we] are looking forward to play against such a worthy opponent.”

Kargbo added that his team is currently in preparation ahead of the upcoming Sierra Leone Premier League - and the match against Lions serves as a test for his side, who’ve already played two other friendly matches so far.

Kargbo’s counterpart wasn’t available for this match, and an assistant coach declined to comment.

The match itself was highly contested, and both sides played well.

But they weren’t exemplary enough to be able to win at the end of regulation time - and thus secure all three points.

This competition will continue as other premier league teams gear up for the 2022/23 start of the national soccer league - expected to start soon.

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04/24/2022

Sports News!!!

E.E. Lions Eased Pass Anti-Drugs Football Club

***But Bo Rangers Remain League Leaders After Win***

By Mustapha Massaquoi

MAKENI (TV-News24) - A narrow 1-0 win for East End Lions Football Club against Anti-Drugs soccer cub Saturday, gave the eastern giants a boost as they keep their hopes - alive - of winning the Sierra Leone Premier league.

E.E. Lions’ goal came in the 70th minute of play from a penalty spot by Alie Conteh at the Wusum Mini Stadium.

Saturday’s win saw E.E. Lions leapfrogged current league leaders Bo Rangers FC at the top of the table.

But that accomplishment was short-lived as the league leaders came back on Sunday, winning 2-0 at the Attouga Mini Stadium in Freetown, against Freetown City Football Club.

Bo Rangers FC therefore retain their position at the top of the league with 60 points, thanks to goals from Mohamed Fogbawa and Sembu.

E.E. Lions have 58 points.

The Elephants’ (Bo Rangers) were five points ahead of E.E. Lions very recently - until after the two giants met last Sunday in Makeni.

In that match, E. E. Lions emerged victorious, winning 3-1, reducing the margin to two points.

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04/21/2022

Sierra Leone’s Veteran Sriker Resigns From International Duty

By Mustapha Massaquoi

MAKENI (TV-News24) - Kei Ansu Kamara, one of Sierra Leone’s most lethal strikers, says he’s resigning from international soccer duties, several monitored media reports say Thursday.

Which means Kamara will no longer play for Sierra Leone’s national team - Leone Stars - in any competitive competitions.

TV-News24 Sports haven’t independently confirm this report, and Kamara couldn’t be reached for comment.

The announced of the retirement was made on social media.

Kamara made his debut for the national team at Africa’s prestigious soccer Cup of Nations tournament in 2008.

He then spent 15 years afterwards, representing the green white and blue - Sierra Leone’s national colors.

"Fifteen years ago, I decided to wear the green white and blue, and represent you on international stage. I never knew what the journey would bring me. But I tell you, I would do it all over again, if I had the chance" Kamara reportedly says on social media.

He continued: "Today, I am finally hanging up my international jersey to focus on my club career. Now, when these international breaks come, I will spend time with my family. But I will always miss the games at the national stadium.

"Thank you, Sierra Leone, for letting your son live a dream, a dream that's not only mine, but also one of many ‘Salone’ people, home and abroad. I will continue to serve you in any way that I can. I wish Leone Stars all the best, and I cannot wait to celebrate you every step of the way."

Salone is the shortened form of Sierra Leone in the country’s local Krio language.

Kamara scored the only goal against Benin's Squirrels, last year, guaranteeing Leone Stars a spot at the 34th edition of the African Cup of Nations in Cameroon - after 25 years of absence.

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04/20/2022

02/08/2022

Sierra Leone Soccer Association Said AFCON 2021 Players Must Return Team Suitcases

***Before They Could Get A Share of $28,000 Given To Them***

By AL MansaraY

Washington, D.C. (TV-News24) - Sierra Leone’s main soccer body has demanded that all players who went with the country’s national team at the just-concluded Africa Cup of Nations tournament in Cameroon, must give back suitcases that were given to them prior to leaving for the tournament, a press release said on Tuesday.

Otherwise, players who don’t comply will not get a share of $28,000 that Sierra Fishing Company gave the team, Sierra Leone Football Association said in the statement.

The more than Le317,237,676M in local currency, - according to current international exchange rate - was given to Leone Stars as appreciation for their Group E goalless performance against Algeria, the then-defending champions, the release stated.

“The SLFA Executive Committee had instructed that the said money be shared among players upon return of each player’s [team] suitcase, to which all players had signed up and some have complied,” the press release said.

A SLFA spokesman tells TV-News24 they gave 28 suitcases to the players prior to the team’s departure for Cameroon in January.

And each player was given one suitcase.

Ibrahim Kamara, SLFA head of media and marketing, said they also gave backpacks, and other items to the players - and those now belong to the players.

“But for the suitcases, we requested that they return [them] so that they’ll be able to use them again in the future,” Kamara said over the phone from the capital Freetown.

However, despite the demand for the players to return their suitcases, SLFA said in the statement that when the team was eliminated, “each player was allowed to take home nine set of team jerseys as a souvenir” for themselves.

Sierra Leone was eliminated at the group stages after failing to equalize against Equitorial Guinea in the third match - which the latter won by 1-0.

An equalizer would’ve secured a vital point for Sierra Leone thus, sending them to the knockout stages of the AFCON 2021 tournament.

More details to follow…

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11/26/2021

Sports News Alert!!!

NPPA Boss Organizes Football Gala For Villagers

***Says He's Using Soccer To Bring People Together***

By Osman Hardy Jalloh

KENEMA (TV-News24 Sports)- The Chief Executive of the National Public Procurement Authority, Ibrahim Brima Swarray is currently having a soccer competition among villages in Kenema which started on Friday, TV-News24 can confirm.

The football gala- named after him- according to the organizers, is an annual event meant to bring togetherness here.

"This is our third episode. The NPPA boss saw the need to organize this competition here because his father hails from here. We all know during politics, people normally have indifferences, so he's using football to draw their attention to oneness and unity. 28 villages are competing in this year's competition exceeding the amount last year. Every team has been provided with jerseys and start-up fund," Alex Vandi, Secretary of the competition says.

Vandi says, Chief Swarray hasn't any other hidden agenda apart from captivating people's attention through soccer.

"Some people will say he's doing this because elections are not far away, but that's not true, we started this in 2019. So the Chief Executive isn't doing this for any political goal," he says.

On the pitch, Gaahun village got the better of Ngelehun in the opening match of the competition after wining by a solitary goal to nil.

The competition continues on Saturday.

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11/24/2021

Sports News Alert!!!

School League Restarts In Kenema

***After A Three Weeks Break***

By Osman Hardy Jalloh

KENEMA (TV-News24)- The inter secondary school volleyball and football competition, resumed Tuesday at the Kenema Mini Stadium, TV-News24 can confirm.

The league was postponed indefinitely by the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education on October 25, citing lack of sports guidelines as the reason for its suspension.

The guidelines have now been instituted at a joint stakeholders engagement between ministry officials, the National Sports Authority and the security sector.

"We are going ahead with the league now. Though it took time to get the guidelines sorted, but I think it is good for the competition. For us in Kenema, everything has been put in place and the league has restarted," Christian Gendemeh, secretary of the league said.

32 schools are competing in the knockout based competition.

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11/19/2021

Sports News Alert!!!

NSA Outlines Sports Guidelines For Schools In The East

By Osman Hardy Jalloh

KENEMA (TV-News24)- The National Sports Authority of Sierra Leone, Friday engaged school authorities in Kenema on the guidelines for school sports competitions.

The Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education, principals drawn from various junior and senior secondary schools in the east, physical health education teachers and the security sector were targeted.

The engagement, NSA says, is to ensure clear policies are instituted for schools across the country.

"As an authority, we want to ensure schools are guided by clearly defined guidelines for school competitions. The act is clear and gives us that power. We can't control the teachers and the pupils during games if we don't have these rules. That's why over the years we have had so many issues of violence when it comes to games involving schools," NSA Director of Sports Steven Keifala says.

Head of Media, Eric Fomba says schools are obliged to fully adhere to the new policies.

"The Authority has the mandate to punish school authorities for not adhering to these guidelines including schools that fail to participate in competitions. We want to use these competitions as a platform to tap these kids for national duty," Fomba says.

Regional Officer, MBSSE, Alusine Kpulun lauded the initiative of NSA.

"The Ministry is in full support of these guidelines and we will make sure they are fully implemented," Kpulun says.

Principal of Holy Rosary Secondary School, Kenema, Rev. Sister Venita Suh says in as much as the guides are good on paper but the schools should be adequately capacitated.

"Many schools don't even have the facilities to organize these sporting activities. So how can this be actualized? NSA needs to support the schools to achieve this," Suh says.

A sports management committee, ensuring the guideline are adhered to, was later formed for the eastern region.

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11/16/2021

!!!

Kamboi Eagles Team Manager Resigns

By Osman Hardy Jalloh

KENEMA (TV-News24)- The team manager of Kenema district soccer club Mohamed Saydie Billal Mansaray says Tuesday he's resigning from his position.

Kamboi Eagles is the sole representative of Kenema in the Sierra Leone Premier League.

Mansaray says the many misconceptions from the public regarding the club's finance, the insubordination of the current executive by some stakeholders and the lack of a structured board for the club are the reasons for his resignation.

Mansaray was appointed in March this year after he had previously served as the club's head of media.

This is the second resignation within the club this year after former head coach Alhaji Lamin Foray's departure in June this year.

More To Follow...

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11/10/2021

Sports Video News!!!

After 2 Years Of Absence, Inter Secondary School League Returns

By Osman Hardy Jalloh

KENEMA (TV-News24) - This year’s inter-secondary school competitions - football and volleyball - in Kenema, started Monday at the Kenema mini stadium after two years of absence.

COVID-19 was the reason it was temporarily canceled.

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11/09/2021

Sports News Alert!!!

Kenema School League Restarts After 2 Years Of Absence

By Osman Hardy Jalloh

KENEMA (TV-News24) - The 2021 inter-secondary school football and volleyball competitions in Kenema started Monday at the Kenema mini stadium, after several years of absence.

Because of the contagious and deadly COVID-19 pandemic worldwide, Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio declared a state of emergency thereby by freezing many sporting activities in the country.

And the inter-sec, as it’s commonly referred to, was last played here in November 2019 - that’s two years of absence.

32 senior and two junior secondary schools are competing in the knockout-based competition.

Eastern Region Director of Physical Health Education Anna Jacob, said in opening remarks that the sporting calendar is part of the school curriculum.

"Extra curricular activities are part of learning, and are embedded in the curriculum. It will help preach togetherness in sports and harness young talents to represent the country in future competitions," Jacob says.

Regional Education Officer Alusine Kpulun - from Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education - appealed to participants to act sportsman-like during the games…and avoid any form of violence.

"We don't want any pupil or teacher to bring the games into disrepute. The games are for the school going pupils, that's why the ministry funds the league every year through subsidies to schools," Kpulun says.

(Rank) Albert Sylvester Bockarie and (Rank) Ibrahim Dikisu Kamara, Army Brigade Commander and police Operations Officer respectively, here in Kenema, were present at the ceremony.

And pledges aganist violence were made by the teachers and pupils in the presence of Bockarie and Kamara - the two security officers.

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11/07/2021

Sports News Alert!!!

Wusum Stars Impress

***In a Share of The Spoils Encounter Against Kamboi Eagles***

By Osman Hardy Jalloh

KENEMA (TV-News24)- A rejuvenated second half performance from Wusum Stars of Makeni earned them a priceless point at the Kenema Mini Stadium against in-form Kamboi Eagles.

The highly intense affair drew thousands of spectators to the field, but not limited to politicians and government functionaries.

An exquisite finish from Eagles talisman Ibrahim Turay (Computer) gave them a well- deserved lead in the 14th minute, but were pegged back right at the end of the half.

Almamy Buya Kamara capitalized on Eagles fragile defense, which is missing key players, scoring in a 43rd minute equaliser.

The Eagles have been in good form since Francis Zappa Koroma took charge of the team in September and he believes they failed to kill the game in the first half.

"We could have easily scored two or three goals in the first half. We failed to take our chances and it came back to hunt us. It's something I have to work on," Koroma says.

But Wusum Stars Coach Abdurahman Turay says the match was evenly contested and they could have stolen all three points.

"It was a tight match. Both sides played well. We were better in the second half and we could have grabbed maximum points, but it's a satisfactory result nonetheless," Turay says.

Saidu Mansaray, who has been capped by Leone Stars, won the man of the match award.

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10/27/2021

BREAKING!!!

All School Leagues Suspended

By Osman Hardy Jalloh

KENEMA (TV-News24)- All school leagues across Sierra Leone have been suspended until further notice, the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education says.

The Ministry says the league is suspended until a draft policy is approved by all schools across the country.

"I'm directed by the Chief Education Officer to suspend all school games until the draft 'School Sports Guidelines' is approved by all principals and head teachers in the country," an official statement from the Ministry reads.

This comes as many schools in the country are preparing to participate in this year's school league.

Last academic year, there wasn't any league due to outbreak of Covid-19 in the country.

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10/26/2021

Sports News Alert!!!

Teachers' League Produces Record Turnout, Preaches Non Violence

By Osman Hardy Jalloh

KENEMA (TV-News24)- Thousands of school going pupils and other spectators, Tuesday turned out to watch the teachers league organized by Teachers' United for various junior and senior secondary schools in Kenema City at the Kenema Mini Stadium.

The league is organized as a curtain-raiser for the school league competition between schools in Kenema, and the turnout, many say, is unprecedented.

"This is part of our effort to ensure we preach peace as teachers ahead of the start of the school league. We all know the tension the school league comes with, so as teachers, we want to send a clear message of non violence in this year's league," Salieu Sawanneh , Secretary of Teachers' United says.

Seventeen schools are participating in the competition with two schools forming a team.

On Monday, Ansarul/BadruDeen teachers defeated Islamic/Apson teachers by 4-1, while Government Secondary School/The Door drew goalless with Commercial/Saint James.

The league continues on Wednesday.

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10/25/2021

Sport News Update!!!

Tulane FC Remains Positive Despite Losing ERFA Division 1 Final

By Osman Hardy Jalloh

KENEMA (TV-News24) - Tulane Football Club remained positive, and largely satisfied with their performance in Sunday’s Eastern Region Football Association Division 1 preliminaries final at the mini stadium here.

Despite losing 3-2 to Freetown Football Club, the team’s head coach, Ismail Kallon, stopped short of blasting his players.

Instead, he says his goalkeeper had a bad day.

In fact, Tulane FC came back very strongly in the second half, scoring two goals - after going down 2-0 in the first half of play.

Before eventually conceding the winning goal through a goalkeeping error.

"We conceded two goals from our own making. Both were goalkeeping mistakes, but that's football. No body expected us to reach here but we did and I'm proud of the team," Kallon says.

Notwithstanding the loss, Kallon won the best coach award.

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10/25/2021

Sport News Alert!!!

Freetown FC Wins Thriller Against Tulane FC In ERFA Final

By Osman Hardy Jalloh

KENEMA (TV-News24) - Freetown Football Club beat Tulane Football Club 3-2 on Sunday, in a thrilling soccer encounter at the Kenema mini stadium, in the finals of the Division 1 preliminaries organized by Eastern Region Football Association.

The win for the champions have now cemented their spot among the four teams to have maintained their Division 1 status.

The losers are themselves surprised finalists after winning in a now-protested penalty shootout against Central One Eagles on Tuesday.

Freetown FC took a two goal lead before being pegged back in the second half.

But a disastrous goalkeeping error by Tulane FC’s goalkeeper secured the victory for Freetown FC.

"The fans got what they wanted because both sides were very good, and exhibited character and good football. We won because we prepared well and took our chances," Jack Tonye Charles, Freetown FC coach, tells TV-News24 Sports.

Tulane FC's head coach Ismail Kallon, said despite the loss, they had a good game.

And says their goalkeeper had a bad day.

Kallon however won the best coach award, and
Freetown FC’s Ibrahim Bangura was awarded best player.

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