A reduced Gambian side drew 1-1 with Guinea Conakry in their Group B opener of the maiden West African Football Union (WAFU) Under 20 Championship last night at the Jay Jay Okocha Stadium in Delta State, Nigeria.

Cherno Njie fired the Darling Scorpions ahead in the 37th minute before the Syli Nationales replied in the 45th minute – courtesy of Amadou Keita. The Gambia played the whole of the second half with ten men after the expulsion of Alasana Camara in the 45th minute of the first interval.

Yesterday’s tie was a replay match after the first meeting between the two sides was abandoned due to the poor lighting system. The Gambia and Guinea were still  goalless when the Mauritanian referee halted Saturday’s match in the 75th minute after darkness had engulfed the stadium.  

Both teams later agreed to settle for a goalless draw but the organisers insisted the match must be replayed the following day (Sunday). However, the infamous decision from the referees committee allowed Coach Alagie Sarr to totally revamp his side whose performance in Saturday’s aborted match fell far below the average.

Goalkeeper Alagie Nyabally replaced injured Christopher Allen in the goalmouth, while Ousman Jagne and Alasana Camara replaced the strike duo, Momodou Lamin Sillah and Ebrima Bojang, upfront.  The midfield was not also left unchanged as Amadou Sanyang and Saihou Gassama made way for Bun Gaye and Matarr Jobe.

The changes paid dividends as early as the first ten minutes when the Gambians started to dictate the pace of the match. The Darling Scorpions could have taken the lead in the 13th minute but Cherno Njie’s diving header was inches from the woodwork.  

The Sait Matty striker was again set up two minutes later by strike partner Ousman Jagne, but his failure to aim his target ensured a level score. The Gambia finally took the lead in the 37th minute when Njie blasted in a rebound. Stylist forward George Cole’s thunderous shot was parried by the Guinean keeper, Abdul Keita, but relaxed Njie was available to tap in a low shot for the Gambia’s first goal in the 16-team youth event.

However, the Scorpions’ celebration was cut short by the expulsion of Alasana Camara (Jarra) moments after the opener. The Steve Biko striker was provoked by his opponent and his swift retaliation in front of the Beninois referee earned him a direct red card in the 44th minute – just a minute before the Guineans leveled the score with a long range shot that mistakenly slipped through the fingers of goalkeeper Alagie Nyabally.

Fresh from break, an improved Guinea side was seen as they tried to utilize their numerical advantage over the vigilant Gambian side who refused to surrender to their threat led by star striker, Baboucarr Diallo.

The game eventually ended in a stalemate to the delight of the Ghanaians who had earlier on beat Senegal 2-0 in the group’s other match on Saturday. In a post-match interview with Observer Sports, Gambia’s coach, Alagie Sarr, said he was pleased with the 1-1 result.

“I am happy with the result considering the condition we played under. We trained in the morning only to be told that we would be playing in the evening. So you can see for yourself that my players were tired. The red card also disturbed us a lot. So if we could not win the match. We have to be happy with the draw result as we look forward to the next match,”  he said.

The Gambia will return to action tomorrow (Tuesday) when they take on perennial rivals, Senegal at 16:00 hours Nigeria time, which is 15:00 hours in The Gambia.
The Darling Scorpions will wrap up their group campaign with a final clash against familiar opponents, Ghana, on Thursday.

The Ghanaians will be assured of a quarter-final ticket if they garner the maximum points against Guinea in the group’s other match on Thursday.
Gambia starting line-up against Guinea: Alagie Nyabally, Emmanuel Gomez, Abdou Njie, Lamin Samateh, Pierre Gomez (C), George Cole, Ousman Jagne, Bun Gaye, Matarr Jobe, Alasana Camara, Cherno Njie.

Used substitutes: Momodou L. Sillah (55 mins), Dodou Suso (56 mins), Ebrima Bojang (63 mins)

Unused substitutes: Christopher Allen (sick), Dimingo Manneh, Amadou Sanyang, and Saihou Gassama.