Red Star Struggles But Laughs Last ln The Gunjur Super Cup Final

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Red Star captain Ismaila Saidy receiving the trophy from Modou Fadera

A difficult game ends in delight for Gunjur league champions Red Start FC who struggled to keep their title and ultimately defeated Ecomog F.C 4 – 3 on penalties to win the Gunjur super cup following a stalemate goalless draw in regulation time.

Ecomog mostly have themselves to blame for not turning their dominance into goals after controlling and dictating the tempo throughout the exciting encounter.

The Reds were largely outclassed by a notably superior opponent. Red Star who repeatedly gave the ball away under pressure, were underwhelming and besides a brief rally and moment of genius at the start of the second half – uncharacteristically pedestrian and toothless for most part of the game.

Without the heroic performance of custodian Lamin Jatta in between the frame, Red Star could have been five goals behind at halftime. 

The crowd included Red Star supporters who were visibly nervous and the travelling Ecomog fans from Siffoe village who roared wildly after several missed chances, witnessed a highly entertaining final marked by the slick and incisive movements of Ecomog and the resilient defending of Red Star.

Red Star introduced several fresh legs to the game during the second half to try and balance the tempo, but they will still face threats. Ecomog’s Amadou Demba had a long-range effort hit the crossbar and bounced out as Ecomog appealed for a goal, but the referee insisted that it did not cross the line.

Further chances came and went for both sides especially Ecomog, but Red Star managed to have the game their way as they held on to resiliently maintain the deadlock, which took the game into penalties. 

Ecomogs two substitutes Moses Prierra and Kebba Drammeh, both introduced for the penalty shootout missed their shots and Red Star youngster Lamin Jammeh scored the winning spot kick in his debut to earned the Red stars their 15th title in the Gunjur “Nawettan” tournament.

Red Stars were handed the winner’s trophy and a cash prize of fifteen thousand dalasi, while the travelling Ecomog side went back to Siffoe with a consolation of ten thousand dalasi.

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Mr. Sainey M.K. Marenah is a Prominent Gambian journalist, founding editor The Alkamba Times and formerly head of communications at the Constitutional Review Commission (CRC) and Communications and PR Consultant for The Gambia Pilot Program, under Gamworks. Mr. Marenah served as the Social media Strategist and Editor at Gambia Radio and Television Services. He is also the Banjul Correspondent for Voice of America Radio. Sainey is a human rights and developmental journalist who has carved a strong niche particularly in new media environments in the Gambian media industry. Mr. Marenah began his career as a junior reporter with the Point Newspaper in the Gambia in 2008 and rose through the ranks to become Chief correspondent before moving to The Standard Newspaper also in Banjul as Editorial Assistant and head of News. He is a household name in the Gambia’s media industry having covered some of the most important stories in the former and current government. These include the high profile treason cases including the Trial of Former military chiefs in Banjul in 2009 to 2012. Following his arrest and imprisonment by the former regime of President, Yahya Jammeh in 2014, Marenah moved to Dakar Senegal where he continues to practice Journalism freelancing for various local and international Media organization’s including the BBC, Al-Jazeera, VOA, and ZDF TV in Germany among others. He is the co-Founder of the Banjul Based Media Center for Research and Development; an institution specialized in research and development undertakings. As a journalist and Communication Expert, focused on supporting the Gambia's transitional process, Mr Marenah continues to play a pivotal role in shaping a viable media and communications platform that engages necessary tools and action to increase civic participation and awareness of the needs of transitional governance to strengthen the current move towards democratization. Mr. Marenah has traveled extensively as a professional journalist in both Europe, Africa and United States and attended several local and international media trainings.

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