By: Mohamed Abu Conteh
Sierra Leone National under 15-sides has on 18th August 2022 Kick-Off their WAFU campaign on good footing as they trashed their Mauritania counterparts by six goals to nil at the SKD Stadium in Liberia, Monrovia.
Sierra Leone National U-15 sides opened the scoring in the 4th minute of play through Mauritania’s defense and Alie Kabia converted the ball to open the scoring for the Sierra Leone team. Mauritania try a build-up from their defense to get the equalizing but they were not up to the task to march up to the Sierra Leonean Sides as the National under 15 sides continue their dominance in the first half as Bailor Bah scored in the 25th minute of play to double the score lines for the national under 15-sides.
After 30 minutes of playing, the match Referee sounds the whistle for recess, the reason being junior competition only plays for (30) minutes because the young players playing in the competition.
After the recess in the first half, both teams returned for the second half of play, Mauritania sides look more aggressive at the start of the second looking to score the two goals they have to conceive in the first half, but brilliant Sierra Leone under 15-sides continue their fast play as the scored in 47 minutes of play and it was scored by Osman Mansaray and he scored two more goals within five minutes of play. Mansaray scored a hat trick for his side to wrap up the match within 54 minutes of play.
The Mauritania side brings some fresh leg players to see how best they can reduce the score line, but they were not up to the task to face the Sierra Leonean team who were more tall and physical on the pitch of play as they sealed the winning in the 51 minutes of play to grab their first three points in the WAFU Zone A tournament at the SKD Stadium in Liberia.
Sierra Leone recorded the highest score lines in an international tournament for the first time in the country’s football history and the heaviest defeats they scored against opponents on an international Stage. The lads fascinatingly started their campaign as they prepared to face a turf opponent Senegal in today’s encounter at the SKD Stadium.
The head coach Alimu Koroma use a 4-3-3 formation in the first half but later changed it to a 4-4-2 formation as the boys were playing the ball more on the attack in the opponent’s half causing more problems in Mauritania’s defense.
Bailor Bah won the man of the match award for his impressive play in a strike force as he caused so much pressure on the defense of Mauritania.
Sierra Leone’s last campaign in the under 15 categories was in Guinea Conakry where they lost their first match and draw their last match as they crash out of the competition with only a point. In 2003 Sierra Leone started enjoying youth football glory after a decade the last time they had such was way back in 2003 in the under 17 category where they qualifiers to the under 17 World Cup in Finland and most of those players are now representing Sierra Leone in the senior level and some have already faded out of the Leone Stars team.
Sierra Leone has two more matches to play against Senegal today at 8:00 am and play the host Liberia on Sunday at the same time at the SKD Stadium in Liberia.
