{"id":972,"date":"2016-03-23T01:15:03","date_gmt":"2016-03-23T01:15:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.sierraleonefootball.com\/?p=972"},"modified":"2016-03-23T09:19:23","modified_gmt":"2016-03-23T09:19:23","slug":"sierra-leone-force-malawi-to-a-draw-in-freetown","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sierraleonefootball.com\/sierra-leone-force-malawi-to-a-draw-in-freetown\/","title":{"rendered":"Sierra Leone force Malawi to a draw"},"content":{"rendered":"
By Mohamed Fajah Barrie in USA<\/p>\n
Sierra Leone came from behind to draw with Malawi 1-1 in a friendly international match in Freetown on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
The match was Sierra Leone’s first game on home soil since they hosted Seychelles in a 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in July 2014.<\/p>\n
South Africa based midfielder Mucium Mhone gave the Flames the lead in the 18th minute after a nice build-up.<\/p>\n
But his goal was cancelled two minutes to the break by Finland based Abdul Sesay who registered his second goal for Leone Stars.<\/p>\n
The two teams have now met each other three times in friendly international matches with the Flames winning first and second encounters at home in Lilongwe way back in 1978.<\/p>\n
There has never been a competitive fixture between the two teams.<\/p>\n
Tuesday’s match was a dress rehearsal for both teams as they prepare for their upcoming 2017 African Cup of Nations qualifying fixtures .<\/p>\n
Leone Stars will leave Freetown\u00a0on Wednesday\u00a0for Franceville to play away to Gabon on 25 Match and will host the home leg in Freetown\u00a0in three days\u00a0time.<\/p>\n
However, there are no points on offer for the two games because Gabon will host the finals in January.<\/p>\n
Sierra Leone are currently bottom of group I behind Sudan and African champions Ivory Coast.<\/p>\n
But Malawi are preparing for a competitive Nations Cup double-header with Guinea in Group L.<\/p>\n
The Flames are presently third in the table, above Guinea but below Swaziland and Zimbabwe.<\/p>\n