By: Foday Manneh
The return of the Gambia Armed Forces (GAF) Basse Camp football team to the Basse Subzone football championship ended in agony as they lost 2 – 0 to Gambisara United in the finals at the Basse Mini-stadium.
The last appearance of the GAF Upper River Region team nicknamed “Barrack boys” in this competition ended in a defeat as they lost to Gambana – another Gambisara team in the 2019 season.
A massive crow filled the stands of the Basse Mini-stadium to cheer behind their respective sides. But, the football on view doesn’t match the impressive atmosphere as it was merely a slow affair between the two sides in the entire first period that ends in a stalemate goalless.
The halftime team talks proved crucial as both sides injected life into the game that help them to create and squandered several scoring opportunities.
Both teams were not willing to let it lose so easily and after 59 minutes of football Gambisara United succeeded in penetrating a resolute GAF defence as Hagie Trawally nodded a diving header into the roofs of the net to put his team on the ascendancy.
At that time barracks, boys knew there was still everything to play as they keep pushing hard for an equaliser but they were punished for leaving gaps at the back as Gambisara exploited with a brilliant counter attack which saw the technically gifted Lasanna Kanuteh loop the ball over the Armed Forces’ goalkeeper to give his team a decisive 2 – 0 win on the 89th minute. And the final whistle which was greeted with wild celebrations by Gambisara supporters followed soon after.
In the decoration ceremony, Kuteh Jombul of Basse Manneh Kunda who won third place were given fifteen thousand dalasis (D15,000) and GAF as runners-up pocketed D25,000, while the Gambisara United were decorated with a giant trophy and a cash price of D45,000
This marks the end of the 4th edition of the Basse Subzone football tournament and Gambisara United were the team who had the last laugh.
