Gambia coach Mariama ‘Bom’ Sowe has praised her side’s determination following a 2-0 away win over sierra Leone in the first leg of the 2022 African Women’s Cup of Nations qualifiers.
Second half goals from Ola Buwaro and Ruggy Joof earned the Gambians the advantage in a match played at Liberia’s Antoinette Tubman Stadium in Monrovia as Sierra Leone’s stadium is currently being banned from hosting international fixtures by the Confederation of African Football having failed inspection tests.
The second and deciding round will now be played next Monday 25th October, 2021, at Bakau’s independence Stadium. With the Gambians now in the driving seat, they will fancy their chances to sail through to the final round of the qualifiers where the winner of the tie between Cameroon and the Central African Republic for a place in Morocco 2022.
On the balance of play yesterday, the hosts dominated the first half but it was the visitors who first had the ball at the back of the net, however, Mam Drammeh’s finish was flagged for an off-sight, thus, cutting short Gambian celebrations. Sierra Leone’s best opportunity was wasted by Wuyey Sad Mohat by blazing over the bar after keeper Mariama Ceesay fumbled an innocuous shot.
Bom reacted immediately after the break by bringing in Metta Sanneh in place of Awa Tamba, which proved to be the turning point. The Gambia dominated from that moment and took a deserved lead in the 53rd minute through Buwaro ,who headed in a Ruggy Joof freekick. Provider turned scorer as Joof scored from a direct freekick from 35 yards to ensure the win.
