By: Mohamed Abu Conteh
Rokel Commercial Bank (RCB) has on 4th March 2023 won the Sierra Leone Commercial Bank (SLCB) Football Gala tournament as they defeated Union Trust Bank by post-game penalties at the Police field in Kingtom, Freetown.
Rokel Commercial Bank opened the scoring in the 10th minutes of play as Mohamed Kabba converted a loose ball in the 18-yard box to give the sides the lead in the first half.
However, Union Trust Bank bounce back in the second half as they get the equalizing goal deep in the second half to level terms and set up for the penalties shoot-out in a much-contested match between the two Banks.
However, RCB won the shoot-out by (5-6) after a player from the Union Trust Bank miss his spot-kick.
Eco-Bank Sierra Leone won third place in the Football Gala competition as they defeated Bank of Sierra Leone by five goals to one (5-1), while the head coach of Eco-Bank Mohamed Issa said as a team they are happy to get the win with such a huge margin in this year’s Gala competition.
“The goal scored is not a surprise because the Bank has 13 standard players that are working with the bank and can do anything in the field of play to give the institution the desired result, noting that it is just unfortunate we are unlucky to make it to finals as we lose to Rokel Commercial Bank narrowly.”
He further that this win is good for the institution as a whole because they are representing a Bank, and the third position is not bad we appreciate the Management, and the players, and special thanks to the management of Sierra Leone Commercial Bank for we’ll organize a competition as part of their 50th Anniversary celebration.
Sylvanus Dopo the head coach of the Bank of Sierra Leone said as a team they feel disappointed with the results because trained hard for us to win the third spot, but with such an outcome the results are unhappy, as we suffered lots set back ahead of the match one of our outstanding goalkeepers failed to turn up during match day and we are left with no option but to use a player as a goalkeeper and we are heavily punished for that, but that is football we got to bounce back in our next matches.
According to Johnson Williams comes the day of the grand finals, Rokel Commercial Bank is going to play against Sierra Leone Commercial Bank in a Celebration match, noting the Whole essence of the Gala competition is part of their Fifty Anniversary Celebration of Sierra Leone Commercial Bank. Adding that the Bank which was founded in 1973 on the 15th of February, as Bank they has held several events to commemorate the Anniversary.
He affirmed that the Football Gala is one of the events, next weekend the Football Gala will reach its climax as the Champions of Champions will play against Sierra Leone Commercial Bank, and there will be other fun matches as the female wings play a comic match with other combine teams and Management of Commercial Bank will play against Rokel Commercial Bank.
Johnson William said over the years the Bank has fostered a better relationship with other Banks, and it will continue to do such, noting that at present they have Road tours and a Health Walk that are showing the products of the Bank, adding that their Anniversary Celebration is to bring all Banks together as see themselves as Friends under a Social gathering that will the real bankers are adding that the presentation of Trophies and Certificates and another price.
