by Baboucarr Fallaboweh
The Foni-born goalkeeper enjoyed a remarkable debut season in the Gambia Football Federation (GFF) First Division, establishing himself as one of the league’s standout performers.
Gassama made an immediate impact, keeping six consecutive clean sheets in his opening six league matches and going 540 minutes without conceding a goal. His impressive streak was eventually ended by high-scoring Fortune FC on matchday seven.
“I wasn’t down after conceding,” Gassama recalled. “I just felt bad, returned to the training ground and worked harder. I built upon it and went on to keep another four consecutive clean sheets.”
The goalkeeper was also chasing the long-standing clean-sheet record held by former Fortune FC goalkeeper Yankuba Sabally. After a season of consistent performances, Gassama eventually surpassed the mark, finishing the campaign with 18 clean sheets in 29 league matches.
“The record is special because it’s my first year in the First Division,” he said. “I am happy to both break and set a new record of 18 clean sheets. Overall, it was a very good season.”
Despite Ports spending much of the first round at the top of the table, their title ambitions faded due to a series of draws.
“We were on top of the table throughout the first round. Personally, I wanted us to win the league title. We collected too many draws. There was a period when we were not conceding goals, but we were not scoring either. That affected us a lot and caused us to drop down the standings.”
Gassama ended the season having conceded just 15 goals in 29 matches while registering a league-record 18 clean sheets.
“The clean sheets have increased my confidence. I play with the mindset that nobody can score against me. Next season, I want to improve on this record and maybe reach 20 or 21 clean sheets. I believe I can do it. But obviously, I also want to play abroad.”
Last season, Gassama saved four penalties, although Gambia Ports Authority were not awarded a penalty against them throughout the current campaign. His ability to contribute beyond shot-stopping was evident when he played a key role in the build-up to a crucial goal against Steve Biko.
His consistency and impressive save ratio helped him stand out among First Division goalkeepers. Twice during the season, he recorded runs of four consecutive clean sheets. His performances earned him two Goalkeeper of the Month awards, as well as nominations for the SpaceTV/Jollof Bantaba Player of the Month awards for December and January.
Gassama also won Ports’ Player of the Month award in January and continued to feature prominently in subsequent nominations. He has been nominated for the league’s Player of the Season award and was named in the Team of the Season.
“I’m happy about everything I’ve achieved in my first season in the First Division,” he said. “Being nominated for these awards means a lot to me. I believe my performances have earned me this recognition.”
Known for his excellent reflexes, calmness under pressure and composure in possession, Gassama is comfortable playing with the ball at his feet and has become a key figure within the Ports setup.
He has earned the trust and confidence of both his teammates and the technical staff, largely because of his ability to produce crucial saves when the team needs them most.
After a record-breaking debut campaign, Gassama has firmly established himself as one of the finest goalkeepers in Gambian football and looks set for an even brighter future.
