GAM FOOTBALL NEWS:

WAFU Cup hosts Liberia suffered a humiliating 3 – 0 defeat to Ivory Coast’s U20s in the opening game of the eight team tournament on Tuesday afternoon, April 24th, at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex in Paynesville City.

The host Lone Starlets suffered the demoralising defeat in front of their home crowd including the country’s new President and Chief Patron of Sport, George Opong Weah. The Ivorian team were a  last minute inclusion in the two week tournament, which suppose to run between April 24 – May 6th, after the last minute withdrawal of Cape Verde from the jamboree.

Despite the home support the young Liberians started the game on the back foot, as the Ivorians took a foot hold from the onset and should have taken the lead as early as the 5th minute, when Aboubacarr Doumbia’s  shot from close range went off the post  for a goal kick and despite that early miss the Young Elephants carried on, exerting immense pressure on the home side, who were very lucky to go out for the half-time break with a goalless draw.

However, they ran out of luck in the second half and it took 5 minutes for Yalatie Diabate  to break the deadlock to give the Ivorians a deserved lead in the 50th minute mark. It was a well taken goal and deserved opener for the Ivorians for their total dominance. And from then on they had the bit between their teeth and were unlucky not to add to their lead with subsequent chances from Dumbia and Diomande Tidiau went begging. However the breather came in the 77th minute when Diabate added his second of the afternoon to give his side a two cushion and things got worse for the home side 10 minutes later when Tabil Wally Bratiano hit in the third goal in the 83rd minute to end the match 3-0 in favour of the Ivorians.

In the day’s other game Sierra Leone emerged with a 2-1 over Guinea Bissau, after scoring twice in the second . They will face the Ivorians in their next group game, while the hosts Liberia takes on Guinea Bissau.