Gambia National U-20 Team (Young Scorpions) have reached to the Final of the WAFU Zone A-20 tournament following their impressive 2-1 win over Guinea on Friday 27th November 2020 in Thies, Senegal.
The Young Scorpions faced off Guinea in the first semi final where they picked up most of the possession throughout and opening the scoring 29th minutes following an intense pressure at the Guinean area when Adama Kanteh picked up the corner and swiftly coiled into a congested box and got deflected through Guinea’s Captain karfala Camara for a goal.
The Young Scorpions maintain their momentum although Guinea came close to regaining possession but Mattar Mboge’s charges rejuvenated at the back where they built up attack through with fluidity poked by Tijan Marr while Kajally Drammeh continued to blaze trail at upfront dazzling from the middle traversing from the left with Modou Manneh and Momodou Bojang assisting in the areal deliveries with goal scoring chances proving futile.
The Gambia went into the locker room with a goal to nil allowing tactician Mattar Mboge for talk time to increase their scoring but maintaining the lead.
Second half resumed with much intensity as Guinea returned for an equalizer and so it was just 3 minutes after the restart for forward Abdourahmane Bah who was unmarked pouched in a lone header that left Gambian goal keeper Lamin Saidy helpless resulting to a goal for Guinea to level matters.
Guinea nearly increased their tally 59th minutes to slightly edge over the Gambia when Captain James Gomez was shown caution that resulted to a Guinea penalty but Gambia’s save hands Lamin Saidy’s super catch and brilliant safe brought air to the Young Scorpions.
The Young Scorpions regrouped and time for Kajally Drammeh to come in with the second and final goal of the game at 64th minute when he hammered a coiled cross over a depleted Guinea Defense deflecting into the net to end 2-1 in favor of the Gambia at full time.
The Gambia will now face hosts Senegal who also won Bissau 5-4 on penalties following a nail biting goal less draw at Full time. The grand final is scheduled for Sunday 29th November 2020.
This is the second Final of the Young Scorpions in three years under the tutelage of Coach Mattar Mboge following the 2018 tournament in Liberia where the team won Gold. The Gambia also reached to the Semi Finals of the tournament in Guinea as Bronze medalists after losing to the hosts.
The Gambia is on the verge of qualification for the Total Africa U-20 tournament in Mauritania 2021where the Young Scorpions are expected to bring back the glory days of Gambia’s youth football. Pundits envisage that Coach Mattar Mboge will reinforce his knife skills to ensuring a much better performance hence his records at Youth football and the development of young players.
Meanwhile the Young Scorpions have conducted their final Covid19 test ahead of the Final scheduled for Sunday 29th November 2020.
