Waa Banjul has replaced Sporting Real as the new leaders of the domestic second division league following a successful protest lodged by the former against the latter for fielding an ineligible player in their drab top of the table goalless stalemate earlier this month.
Sporting Real had a one point lead at the top of the 16-team table as the title race heats up with only four matches remaining but Waa Banjul lodged a protest at The Gambia Football Federation’s (GFF) Organising Committee with a claim that the former used Kitabou Saho in the game even though he wasn’t eligible to play having reached his maximum three yellow cards limit and thus must serve a suspension.
The Organising Committee sat over the matter this week and judged that Waa Banjul’s claims were substantive and thus forfeited the points to the complainant. The Committee announced yesterday that Sporting Real has been deducted 3 points and 2 goals which were awarded to Waa Banjul. As a result, the release went on, Waa Banjul is now the new leaders on 56 points from 26 games while Sporting dropped to second with 53 points.
However, if they aren’t satisfied with the decision, Sporting Real reserves the right to lodge an appeal at the GFF’s Appeal Committee, the highest resort for redress in the Federation.
In a separate development, Red Hawks came from 2-0 down on Wednesday to force a 2-2 draw with Team Rhino in their match in hand to bring week 26 of the second division to a close. The Reds scored twice in as many minutes in the second half to ensure a share of the spoils, thus denting Team Rhino’s title aspirations who are now on 47 points, 6 points behind second place and the final promotion spot.
There was also a rescheduled game in the first division played on Wednesday as Banjul United edged closer to safety after opening up a six-point gap from the relegation zone with a 1-0 defeat of Samger. With three matches before the end of the season, Banjul needs only four points to be assured of top flight football next season.
Samger is languishing 3 points adrift of safety and any slipup before the end of the season will almost certainly seal their fate. They now have to win their remaining three matches and hopes that other results go their way to stand any chance of survival.
