The head coach of the Sierra Leone national senior male football team, Leone Stars, John Kiester, has told Premier news that the technical team has made good preparation ahead of the double encounter between Nigeria and Sierra Leone scheduled for Friday 13th and 17th November.
In an exclusive interview with Premier Media, he disclosed that out of the sixteen foreign-based players invited to honor the call up for national service, seven of them trained with the team before it departed for Lagos on Wednesday November 11, 2020.
He said that presently the national team is going through transition, with new players being integrated into the national team while they are still working with experienced players to achieve the gel between the new and the old. “We cannot expect greatness right now, but with time everything will be fine for the country,” he said.
Coach Keister said as part of the transition within the football sector in the country, the national team has played friendlies which had not happened for a very long time. “We now see teams camping as part of preparation which tells you about the transition I spoke of.”
“We definitely know it is not going to be an easy match for us, owing to the fact that Nigeria is a strong side, but we are going to put up a strong fight while going into these matches, but again Sierra Leoneans should not be pessimistic or have that big expectation, but if we qualify its fine for us,” he added.
He confirmed that the captain of the national team, who had earlier been ruled out of the squad due to injury, has now been included. He called on the nation to back the national team as it plays the two matches.
The Head of Corporate Affairs at the Sierra Leone Football Association, Mohamed Benson Bawoh, explained that the criteria set by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) that ten media accreditations will be issued out for coverage of the second leg on the 17th of November, and no pre and post-match conference. He added that CAF has stipulated for only 147 persons to be allowed in the stadium for the return leg in Freetown. Of this number, a total of 60 persons, players and officials inclusive, will come from both teams, four officials from CAF, one be stationed in the zoom area, five referees, six ball boys, ten private security guards and ten police officers will be outside the Stadium main bowl, and ten journalists.
Before this time, international matches used to have nine zones, but because of the prevailing circumstance in the world, CAF has limited it to four zones across the field which will be occupied by press and other relevant people.
According to Bawoh, the Sierra Leone Football Association, (SLFA) Journalists will receive ten accreditations which will be given to TV Stations. He continued that they are in serious conversation with the Sierra Leone Broadcasting Cooperation (SLBC) and African Young Voices (AYV) to broadcast the match.
Mohamed Bowen Freeman, Referees Manager / Head of Security, Referees Committee, however emphasized that all players and officials within the stadium must be in full protective gears. He continued that the fourth officials would not be allowed to go into dressing room for inspections.
Head to head between Leone Stars Vs Super Eagle
Played – 14
Nigeria Won – 9
Sierra Leone Won – 2
Draw 3
Sierra Leone previous Away fixtures against Nigeria in all meetings
Played – 7
Win – 0
Lost – 7
Draw – 0
Goal scored – 5
Goal Conceded – 23
The Leone Stars of Sierra Leone has lost all seven (7) away matches to the super eagles of Nigeria….
1968 – Nigeria 4-1 S/Leone (Intl Fndly)
1976 – Nigeria 6-2 S/Leone (WCQ)
1977 – Nigeria 2-0 S/Leone (Afcon)
1987 – Nigeria 3-0 S/Leone (Afcon)
2000 – Nigeria 2-0 S/Leone (WCQ)
2008 – Nigeria 4-1 S/Leone (WCQ)
2011 – Nigeria 2-1 S/Leone ( Intl Fndly)
After Seven away meetings with the super eagles of Nigeria, Sierra Leone has failed to defeat the eagles in their own backward.
In addition the head coach of Leone Stars, John Keister, on Wednesday released his 23 man squad ahead of Friday’s show down against super Eagle of Nigeria.
Full Squad
Goalkeepers: Mohamed N. Kamara (East End Lions), Unisa Conteh (FC Johansen), Issac Caulker (FC Kallon)
Defenders: Umaru Bangura (FC Zurich, Switzerland), Alie Sesay (Zira FK, Azerbaijan), Yeami Dunia (East End Lions), Kevin Wright (Orebro SK, Sweden), Osman Kakay (Queens Park Rangers, England), Mustapha Dumbuya (Tampa Bay Rowdies, USA), Abubakar Samura (Unattached),
Midfielders: Hassan M. Koroma (FC Kallon), Mohamed Medo Kamara (FC Haka, Finland), John Kamara (Kesla, Azerbaijan), Rodney Strasser (Turun Palloseura, Finland), Prince Barrie (Bo Rangers)
Forwards: Emmanuel Samadia (FC Kallon), Kei Kamara (Minnesota United, USA), Kwame Quee (Vikingur Reykjavik, Iceland), Mohamed Buya Turay (Hebei Fortune, China), Alhaji Kamara (Randers, Denmark), Mustapha Bundu (Anderlecht, Belgium), Augustus Williams (Los Angeles Galaxy, USA), Alhassan Koroma (Real Balompedica, Spain).
By Desmond Tunde Coker
12/11/2020. ISSUE NO: 7950