Good luck to the baby scorpions next time!

Momodou Camara

The following is culled from http://www.fifa.com

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FIFA U-17 World Championship
Gambia left stunned by Dutch double (0:2)


(FIFA.com) 24 Sep 2005

In a thrilling climax to Group D at the FIFA U-17 World Championship, the
Netherlands got the two-goal win they needed against Gambia to advance to
the quarter-finals at the Africans' expense. Despite winning their opening
two games, the Baby Scorpions found themselves out of the tournament after
group rivals Brazil put six past Qatar in Trujillo to take top spot. In a
pulsating finale, Gambia missed a penalty that would have seen them through
at the expense of the Dutch, who now face the USA in the last eight.
"We are very happy and proud because we qualify in a very difficut group.
Gambia played very nice football, they got six points and even like that
they still go home. That says it all," said Netherlands coach Ruud Kaiser.

While hundreds of colourful Gambian supporters made their presence felt in
the north stand of the National Stadium, it was the enterprising Dutch
followers at the far end who stole the show by gifting Oranje shirts to the
local kids in order to swell their support. Even before the whistle blew,
battle lines had been drawn.

When the game finally kicked off, the crowd in Lima were treated to a clash
of styles. The more tactically astute Dutch tried to impose their passing
game on a classic African side bristling with technique, physical prowess
and determination. The early play would have yielded a goal apiece were it
not for the woodwork. The first effort came from a shot by Ousman Jallow
after a poor clearance by the Oranje keeper Krul, while the second fell to
the diminutive Dutch striker Melvin Zaalman, who neatly lobbed the ball
over Babucarr Suso only to see the ball come back off the woodwork with the
crowd already on their feet.

Midway through the first half, the news began to filter through from
Trujillo: Brazil were winning their duel against Qatar meaning in all
probability that the two teams in Lima would have to battle it out for the
last remaining spot. Shortly afterwards, the Netherlands went ahead. Melvin
Zaalman broke down the right and angled a low cross in to the path of John
Goossens, who had the simplest of tasks to steer his shot home (0:1, 33').

Gambian fans raise the temperature
After the break, with the African drumbeat growing louder from the Gambian
supporters, the stakes were raised once more. Brazil were piling on the
goals in Trujillo, meaning the Dutch needed a second goal to go through,
and Gambia could not afford to concede another. The first clear-cut chance
of the half fell to the Baby Scorpions, but Jallow was unable to capitalise
on a sortie by Saines Nyassi.  Ruud Kaiser's men hit straight back but also
missed the target after Diego Biseswar narrowly failed to get his leg to
cross at the far post.
Aware of what was happening in Trujillo, the Dutch coach sent Marvin Emnes
to bolster the attack. His side then came close to extending their lead,
but Vurnon Anita's right-foot effort was well covered by Suso. With the
minutes ticking away, the Dutch pushed on looking for the all-important
second. Gambia, in contrast, decided to shut up shop and wait for their
chance on the break. It turned out to be a fatal mistake. Goossens picked
out Dirk Marcellis with a measured cross from the right and the PSV
defender made no mistake with his header (0:2, 72').

Suddenly, with just over a quarter of an hour to go, a side many people
fancied for a place on the podium were staring elimination in the face.
There was still time for once final piece of drama. Jallow went down in the
area, and Gambia were given a penalty and a lifeline. Ceesay stepped up to
take the kick but in spite of hugs from his team-mates beforehand,
contrived to fire it wide.

"I don't know why he took the penalty. My decision was our captain Jallow,
but for some reason they changed it on the pitch. That's football I guess,
but it doesn't make any sense to be sorry about it now," said Gambia coach
Fred Osam Duodu.

And that was it. There was delight and despair in equal measures when the
final whistle sounded. The shell-shocked Gambians were applauded off by the
Peruvian public who have been won over by the colour and warmth of their
African visitors. The loudest cheer, however, was reserved for the Dutch,
who, mission accomplished, marched off to the quarter-finals.

"Our people must be proud because of the way we played in our first time in
a World Cup. They shouldn't feel sad about this," Duodu added.

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