Airtel Rising Stars regional tournament in Makeni begins

The search of the young talents throughout Sierra Leone continues following the commencement of the  Airtel Rising Stars regional tournament  Makeni version on Thursday witnessed by hundreds of football enthusiasts.

Twelve male teams and eight female sides from three districts in the northern province of Sierra Leone Bombali, Kambia and Port Loko are participating in the tournament at the Wusum synthetic turf field nicely decorated with Airtel promotional materials.

The tournament is taking place in knock out and grouping basis. The first round of matches in the boys’ category are playing on knock-out basis with the six winning teams proceeding to the group stage.

The six teams are to be divided in to two groups of three teams each with the side with the highest points in each  group making it to the grand finale. The female category is entirely taking place in knock-out basis.

Already group A teams have been known following their victories in the knock out stage. They are Cheltenham FC (Kambia), Kelvin FC (Lungi) and Ocean Boys (Makeni).

Cheltenham FC lost their first group match 1-0 to Ocean Boys, thanks to Saidu Koroma’s strike in the second half to take his tally in the tournament to two goals.

At the end of the competition one team in each category will qualify for the national finals to be played also in Wusum field early August.

Six matches took place on Thursday in the two categories and already three male teams and two female sides have bade goodbye to the tournament.

One of the teams are Kebe FC of Kambia district  who were disqualified in the boys’ section for using ineligible players against Kelvin FC of Lungi. They won 2-1 but it was Kelvin FC instead who qualified to the group stage.

In the opening game of the tournament Cheltenham FC of Kambia defeated Glory FC of Makeni 4-2 on penalties after goalless draw at full time.

The second match of the day also ended on penalty shoot out and it was between Sunday Foundation of  Kambia and Ocean Boys of Makeni. The latter won 5-4 after 1-1 at regulation time.

Saidu Koroma gave Ocean Boys the lead in the first half and Ibrahim S. Kamara equalised for Sunday Foundation in the second half.

In the opening fixture of the  girls’ category, two goals from Mariama F. Sesay and one each from Aminata Jalloh and Abibatu Gbankay in the second period gave Marampa Starlets of Lunsar  a convincing 4-0 victory over Bullom Starlets of Lungi who have exited the tournament.

This was followed by a battle between two teams from Bombali districts  Malimba Queens and Rising Queens who won 2-0. Hawa Bockarie netted the two goals. Mararampa Queens have also gone out of the race.

The competition continues today with first round knock-out matches as well as group stage games.

Results

Thursday 19/07/12

Boys’ Category

Glory FC (Makeni, Bombali) 0-0 (2-4 pen), Cheltenham (Kambia)

Sunday Foundation (Kambia) 1-1 (4-5) Ocean Boys (Makeni, Bombali)

Kebe FC (Kambia) 2-1 Kelvin FC (Lungi, Port Loko) Kebe FC disqualified

Group A match: Cheltenham (Kambia) 0-1 Ocean Boys (Makeni, Bombali)

Girls’ category

Marampa Starlets (Lunsar, Port Loko) 4-0  Bullom Starlets (Lungi, Port Loko)

Malimba Queens (Binkolo, Bombali) 0-2 Rising Queens (Makeni, Bombali)

By Mohamed Fajah Barrie in Makeni

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