Alagie Jobe’s penalty heroics against Djibouti just went to show what having a shoot-out expert in your midst can do for a team. The Scorpion’s goalkeeper saved two spot-kicks against the Riverains de la Mer Rouge, and blocked all five efforts of penalty kicks, to send his side into the group stages of the 2021 AFCON Qualifiers.
The Scorpions edged out Djibouti on Sunday in the return leg of the preliminaries played at the Independence Stadium in Bakau. However, this preceded a one all draw and (2-2) on aggregate at full time for both legs, but settled for a 3-2 score-line that followed for the Scorpions at penalty shootouts.
Djibouti took the lead early into the opening minutes when striker, Mahdi Houssein, converted a spot kick nine minutes earlier on. The Gambia created the bulk of the chances at first half coming very close to scoring with Ebrima Colley, Alassana Manneh and Abdoulie Jallow driving in entertaining, but vigor to equal the Djibouti lead. It was until the brink of stoppage time for the first half that Abdoulie Jallow leveled the scoring for the Scorpions.
The Scorpions’ dominance continued and even at the edge of their opponent’s area when new found galaxy of stars Ebrima Colley, Alassana Manneh and diminutive Abdoulie Jallow all came close, but intents went wide and wayward. The drama didn’t stop as Fus Rabat forward, Muhammed Badamosi, in his twinning with Assan Ceesay also came at the closest time and sent the Stadium in wild unbelievable roaring, but the former Gamtel FC forward wasn’t at his best tonight although Badamosi would do the most of the aerial attacks.
The match ended one all and eventually went into kicks from the penalty spot with the Scorpions winning 3-2. The Gambia now advances to the Group stages of the Qualifiers Proper to join Angola, DR Congo and Gabon in Group D of the AFCON.
