West Coast Regional Football Association (WCRFA) over the weekend staged the finals of its inter-lower basic schools football tournament at the Box Bar Mini Stadium in Brikama. After three months of round robin league football amongst schools in the Region, Brikama and Kembujeh were the two finalists in both the men’s and women’s categories.
The women’s final was the first to be played and following an entertaining but barren full time draw, the game was pushed to kicks from the penalty spot. Drama ensued after Brikama scored the only spot kick and the remaining attempts all went wayward and thus the hosts were crowned champions in that category.
The boy’s version of the finals was another pulsating encounter full of skills and talents from the teenagers. The first half produced chances for either side but most on the middle of the field where play was so much concentrated with decent display of skills to the delight of the gallery. It ended goalless at the break and upon resumption in the second period, it was Kembujeh who broke the jinx in comical fashion when they piled up pressure at the Brikama defense with a fortuitous shot at goal only to slip off through the hands of the goalkeeper and dropping it into the back of his own net. With frustration, goalkeeper Momodou Sey punched hands onto the ground amid disappointment. The freak goal would go down as the only goal of the match, thus ensuring Kembujeh exerting revenge over the opponent.
The WCRFA technical team voted Ida Badjie of Kembujeh as leading goal scorer in the women’s category while Fanta Kijera also won the female Player of the Tournament Award. Alieu Manjang of Brikama won the Men’s Player of the Tournament and the leading goal scorer. The award for the men’s and women’s best goal keeper both went to Jedda with Nuha Sankareh and Isatou Jatta winning the gongs respectively.
Brikama Nema were decorated most disciplined school of the tournament while Sainey Sanneh of Kabafita was scouted as the tournament’s upcoming talent for the men’s and Fatou L. Badjie of Kassa Kunda for the women’s category.
The finals were watched by the President of The Gambia Football Federation (GFF) Mr. Lamin Kaba Bajo who donated two pairs of boots for individual awards. Other partners include Ebrima Nyassi with a trophy, Monika Staab with two balls, Benjamin Eze with two sets of jerseys and the GFF with four trophies.