Gambia Women National team back home with pride

After booking a place in the next stage of the preliminary rounds of the World Cup qualifying campaign thanks to an away goal rule, The Gambia National Women U-17 team is expected to return to Banjul with pride today, Pointsport can confirm.

The team that beat their Sierra Leonean counterparts 3-0 in Banjul a fortnight ago suffered a 3-1 defeat in Makeni, Sierra Leone, a result that confirms their qualifications to the last stage where they will meet Tunisia en route to the big showpiece.

Their confidence going into the weekend’s decisive encounter has absolutely paid off when The Gambia snatched a vital away goal to salvage their place in the qualifying round stage two.

The Gambian team accompanied by Lamin Sambou, who is also the head of the delegation, travelled to the West African nation with the determination of holding on to their massive 3-0 home advantage.

The Gambian side that is enjoying the first taste of a competitive football at the international stage conceded 3 goals from their Sierra Leonean counterparts who were playing for their lives.

A three-nil score line without a reply could have put at risk The Gambia’s participation in the qualifiers but the magnificent women team did enough to pull one back, which proved to be more than a mere consolation as it has guaranteed the team’s qualification to the second round of the qualifying campaign.

That result was not what coach Choro Mbenga and her charges expected considering their solid defensive display during the home match a fortnight ago but it was enough to see The Gambia’s Women National team for the first time make a giant strike in the continental level.

The Gambia Football Association extends endless thanks to the Gambia National Olympic Committee (GNOC) for the provision of twenty-five air tickets for the team’s trip to Freetown.

The GFA in a press release sent to Pointsport few days ago also extended thanks and appreciation to the Gambia Civil Aviation Authority (GCCA) for also providing them with five other air tickets to facilitate the travelling arrangements of the team for their trip to Sierra Leone.

Should they edge pass their next opponents Tunisia over two legs, The Gambia will for the first time take part in the forthcoming FIFA Women U-17 World Cup finals due to take place in Azerbaijan later this year.