Kaw Talli FC and New Jeshwang United both on Sunday advanced to the knockout stage of the ongoing Serrekunda West Sports Organisation (SWESO) Nawetan competition.
Kaw Talli FC beat New Jeshwang United by a goal to nil courtesy of skipper Sulayman Ndoye in the 29th minute of the game to book their place in the knockout stage, while New Jeshwang United have already secured their place in the knockout stage of the competition prior to the game.
Kaw Talli FC made it to the knockout stage of the competition after collecting eight points in five games while New Jeshwang United advanced to the knockout stage after collecting nine points in five encounters.
Speaking to reporters shortly after the game, Dawda Gibba, head coach of New Jeshwang United, said it was a shocking result for them but added that it was not that much bad because they had already secured their qualification spot to the knockout stage of the Nawetan even before the game.
He said they are now looking forward to the knockout competition, noting that in all their games they prepare to win but that sometimes the results “do not go your way”.
“Kaw Talli FC is a good team and their performance today was very encouraging,” he said of his opponents, adding that they put up a “great work” during their qualifiers to the nawettan proper.
“In today’s game if you look at them they were playing the ball more in our zone and that was how they scored against us,” he said.
“Everything went wrong for us today in the first period of the game when we allowed Kaw Talli FC to play the ball in our own zone,” he stated, adding: “In any game if you allow your opponents to play in your court it is likely that they would score against you and that was what happened to us against Kaw Talli FC.
“We will go back and prepare more on our speed and strength because all the teams that qualified for the second round are very good teams.”
Gibba, who guided New Jeshwang United to the knockout stage of the competition in his first year in charge as the head coach, described his achievement of the group stage as “fair”.
Adama Solley, assistant coach of Kaw Talli FC, said he was happy with the win, adding that they always work very hard for every game since the qualifiers.
“We always tell our players that with determination you can achieve anything,” he said, adding that they lack experienced players in their team.
He also stated that 95 per cent of the team players are living together and that everybody is contributing towards the team.
“We have to work very hard for the knockout competition because we are a young team,” he remarked, adding that their aim was to avoid relegation, which they have already achieved and that anything they achieve now “is a bonus” to them.
He also thanked fans of the team for their support.
