By Landing Ceesay
The Gambia U20 team, with a decisive win over the South Sudanese side at the ongoing U20 Africa Cup of Nations tournament taking place in Egypt, qualified for the U20 World Cup slated to take place in Indonesia later this year and earned a semi-final spot in the continental tournament along the way.
The Gambia Football Federation’s First Division top scorer, Adama Bojang, who plays for Steve Biko, bagged a hat trick to register Gambia’s first goal in the 7th minute of the game to put the young scorpions ahead.
Moses Jarju, who plays for Fortune FC, extended the Gambia’s lead in the 28th minute after heading home Salifu Colley’s corner kick to make it 2:0 for the Gambia. With an assist from Cape Town City Wing Wizard’s Kajally Drammeh, Adama Bojang struck again to give the Gambian side a three-goal advantage before the break for half-time.
The first 45 minutes ended with the Gambia U20 leading by three goals to nil. Adama Bojang started off the second half with a goal in the 46th minute, shortly after the break, to give the Gambia it’s fourth goal of the day.
The high-flying Gambia U20 dominated the game from the start and continued their dominance against South Sudan with possession football. Modou Lamin Marong scored in the 54th minute of the game, but it was ruled offside, as the Gambia continued to create numerous goal-scoring chances but could not find the back of the net until the 70th minute of the game when Granada’s youth player and one of the star players of the tournament, Mahmud Bajo, put the Gambia 5-0 in the 70th minute.
The Gambia had numerous goal-scoring opportunities after the 5th goal but could not capitalize on their chances and the game ended 5-0 in favour of the Gambia, culminating in the elimination of South Sudan from the tournament.
This is Coach Abdoulie Bojang’s side’s 4th straight win in the competition without conceding a single goal, earning the Gambian team an automatic qualification to the FIFA U20 World Cup in Indonesia in May 2023 and a semi-final face off against Nigeria. Adama Bojang was awarded Man of the Match.