In the end, it turned out to be a mere walk in the pack for the Gambia’s Women National Football Team at the newly inaugurated Jarra Soma artificial turf. It was billed as the game to mark the women team’s return to international football but few had expected a comprehensive defeat of one of the best women teams in the Senegalese premier league, Casa Sport.
A first half hat-trick from Red Scorpions mesmeric forward Awa Tamba and an audacious left footed volley from Brikama’s Mbassy Darboe showed the Women Scorpions took a commanding 4-0 lead at the break before another thunderous strike from Penda Sowe in the second half completed the comprehensive win. A last minute penalty conceded by captain Fatoumatta Fatty was the only blip on an otherwise thorough performance as the game ended in a 5-1 win for Abdoulie Bojang’s charges.
The crowd that turned up to this game could only be compared to that of Super Nawettan matches as thousands of people, young, old, men and women, turned out to cheer the National Team on including the regional governor, the chief of Jarra West, Gambia Football Federation officials, amongst a host of other important personalities within and outside the region.
Before some of the dignitaries would even take to their seats, Miss Tamba made a Xavi-like turn and sends a low ball into the bottom corner to give Gambia a first minute lead. Few minutes later, Mbassy Darboe sends in a thunderbolt from an estimated 30-yard to redouble the lead. Tamba added another two before she was taken off having suffered a blow to the stomach for receiving a nasty elbow from an opponent.
The permanent secretary at the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Lamin Ceesay was assigned on behalf of the vice president and minister for Women’s Affairs to preside over the official inauguration of new artificial turf.
Speaking at the event, PS Ceesay commended the Gambia Football Federation for its commitment towards the decentralisation of football in the country. He noted that sports bring about unity, cooperation and common understanding among people of diverse backgrounds.
“There are many countries in the world that have made a name for themselves because of the performance and the results their national teams achieve,” he affirmed.
by Baboucarr Camara