A brace from Fatmata Turay (Drogba) sandwiched by a goal each from Fatmata Mansaray and Sarah Sesay in the first half and a superb free play from Ramatu Bangura in the second half gifted the Sierra Leone National Under-20 team, a deserving victory over the Western Area Combined team at the Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA) Academy Grounds last Tuesday.
The encounter, which was an assessment match for the Under-20 squad that will be playing their Nigerian counterpart on the 27th October in Nigeria, was also used as a Breast Cancer Awareness campaign, wherein Thinking Pink Foundation-an organization dealing with such cases, was part of the entertainment, which attracted several young women from different facets of life.
Though the sun was up, the weather was cool and lovely at the Football Academy artificial turf due to the moist soil and demographic settings around the pitch.
Both sides took advantage of the atmospheric condition and started the game with enthusiasm to the admiration of the spectators, who were cheering their respective sides intermittently. But none could break the deadlock until in the 16th minute, when Rashidatu Kamara break loose from the left flank and sent in a volley in the six- yard box, which Fatmata Mansaray (Messi) superbly headed home for the curtain raiser.
Goalkeeper, Aminata Suma received series of shots after the first goal but her in-form performance gave her the upper hand against Mansaray and Turay’s long range shots respectively in quick succession. She flicked Mansaray’s shot over the crossbar in the 25th minute while Turay’s thunder shot was parried away a minute later.
The second goal came from the spot in the 32nd minute after Sarah was tripped from the back by Zainab – a Western Area Combined defender; Fatmata Turay stepped up to take the kick and sent the goalkeeper the wrong way. She came closed to increasing the scores again but her header in the 35th minute hit the woodwork after beating the goalkeeper.
Her chance came to secure a brace when the referee awarded them a free kick outside the penalty area in the 37th minute; she converted it with a booming carpet shot that flew past the goalkeeper into the right hand corner of the post.
Few seconds before the break, Sarah Sesay added her name on the score sheet with a tactical build up from the midfield. She dribbled past two defenders before sending a side kick that sent the goal keeper in the opposite direction. It was 4-0 at half time.
The second half seemed to be very much entertaining as the Western Area Combined upped their game and denied the national Under-20 side scoring chances. They came close in the 65th minute but the Under-20 goalkeeper was right in attendance to deal with the threat. They had another five minutes later but the Makeni born goalkeeper denied them that opportunity too.
However, the Under-20 squad gathered momentum and zeal to take back possession, which they did swiftly and in the 78th minutes had a reward for it.
Ramatu Bangura received a cross from Sarah in the midfield; dribbled past three opponents, beat two defenders and sent a thunderous shot that whizzed past the surprised goalkeeper. She could have made it two but her second was adjudged to be an offside.
The Under-20 side controlled the match afterwards till the referee sounded her final whistle and it was 5-0 at the end of the match.
The Under-20 Head Coach, Hannah Williams said she was very much satisfied and expressed hope that they will create a surprise in Nigeria.
“We know they are a very strong squad but we are going to play our game and make use of every opportunity we have to make the difference,” she said.
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