PHOTO: Scorpions (Photo Credit ABU)

Gambia Hold DR Congo Into An All Draw To Top Group D

By Ousman A. Marong

Senior Scorpions of The Gambia has on yesterday held DR Congo into a 2-2 draw to top their group with 4 points and 5 goals respectively.

The Scorpions were pitted in Group D together with DR Congo, Gabon, Angola, etc.
In their match 2 first-half strikes from DR Congo’s Cedric Bakanbu handed them a 1-0 win over the Scorpions in their Group D-Day two match on Monday, November 18, 2019.
The match was played at the Independence Stadium in Bakau, The Gambia.

The Scorpions equated the scoreline just 2 minutes into the second half.

It was a long sent ball from midfielder Hamza Barry who chipped the ball targeting captain Pa Modou Jagne’s head and he headed the ball with a butterfly header into the next.

Coming into the locker room, Scorpions of The Gambia were given it all out dominating all the ball possessions with Hamza Barry controlling the entire midfield.

Jackson Muleka, restored the scoreline for DR Congo in the 79 minutes in the second half seeing the Scorpions goalie, Alhagie Job alias Toldo flying in the air like a butterfly chasing after a newly ripe fruit, but efforts reaching out to the ball remained futile.

The draw for the Scorpion’s matchday two on the home ground saw them finished top of the group D after Gabon won Angola by a margin 2-1 in a simultaneous kick-off in Libreville.

Holders, The Gambia, who finished first also on four points as Gabon, joined the latter at the round of 16.

DR Congo is third with two points and remained in the hunt for one of the four best third-place teams set for a place at the knockout stage.

The first half was characterized by few chances from either side as both sides deployed a cautious approach.

Both needed to win to be certain of a place at the next round but failed to break the deadlock after regulation time.

Back from recess, Gambia broke the deadlock just a minute into the second half courtesy Bubacarr Jobe with a curling shot that left DR Congo’s goalie with no option.

The equator saw the Scorpions took control of the game dictating the pace as the Leopards as DR Congo labored in a search of their feet.

Three minutes past the hour mark, the Scorpions’ goalie, Alhagie Jobe alias Toldo was to his side’s rescue with a superb save to deny the Leopards’ captain who unleashed a curler from a free-kick at the edge of the penalty area.

But the scorpions responded in style one minute later when a three-man move involving Modou Secka-Barrow, Musa Barrow, Hamza Barry, and Bubacarr party to give birth to the second goal.