Barrow strike sends Guinea packing

Gambia continued to make history after they advanced to the Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals courtesy of a 1-0 win over Guinea at the Kouekong Stadium on Monday evening.

Musa Barrow was the hero again for Tom Saintfiet’s side as his 71st-minute strike proved to be the difference in Bafoussam.

Both teams finished the round-of-16 encounter with 10 men following the second-half dismissals of Yusupha Njie and Ibrahima Conte.

The possession was equally shared in the first half, although the Scorpions looked far more dangerous on the ball than their opponents.

The National Elephants had the first sniff at goal in the fourth minute though, as Mohamed Bayo latched onto a looping header back into the danger area from Ibrahima Cisse and fired over on the half-volley from the edge of the small box.

Gambia were soon on the attack and Musa Barrow skied a volley from inside the box on the left in the seventh minute after meeting a cross from the right.

Kaba Diawara’s men wasted a good chance to break the deadlock on 11 minutes when Aguibou Camara curled a free-kick over the crossbar from 20 yards out.

Back up the other end Musa Barrow threatened with a venomous long-range strike on the turn that Aly Keita spilled, but the defence was on hand to mop up the danger.

Guinea’s best chance arrived seven minutes before half-time as Bayo found himself through on goal after Pa Jagne was dispossessed. However, Baboucarr Gaye was quickly off his line to smother the ball at the feet of the Clermont forward, whose initial shot was blocked by James Gomez.

Ebrima Darboe came close to opening the scoring on the stroke of half-time with a low shot on the left that went just wide of the far post following good work from Ablie Jallow and Musa Barrow in the build-up.

The National Elephants stepped up their efforts in the second half and Conte failed to keep his glancing header down from a corner on the left in the 50th minute.

Musa Barrow blazed over ambitiously from an angle on the right in the 59th minute after being fed by Jallow on the overlap, but he showed composure and strength to put Gambia ahead 12 minutes later.

The Bologna forward latched onto Yusupha Bobb’s through-ball and shrugged off a challenge to slot home inside the left post.

Guinea looked to respond and thought they had equalised on 77 minutes when Conte finished at the back post from Jose Kante’s low cross on the right. Their celebrations were abruptly halted by the offside flag however.

They piled on the pressure in the closing stages and were given hope after the referee produced a second yellow card and a subsequent red for substitute Njie, although his 87th minute caution for an elbow appeared to be harsh.

There was more late drama as Conte struck the left upright from an acute angle on the left in stoppage time and Morgan Guilavogui was denied by the crossbar moments later.

The Guineans were then reduced to 10 men when Conte picked up his second yellow card of the game to bring their AFCON adventure to an unhappy end.

Guinea (0) 0

Gambia (0) 1 (Musa Barrow 71′)

Guinea: A.Keita, S.Sow, M.Camara, I.Conte, A.Diawara, I.Cisse, A.Camara (M.Sylla 76′), I.Moriba, P.Konate (M.Guilavogui 83′), J.Kante, M.Bayo (S.Kaba 83′).

Gambia: B.Gaye, D.Ngum, J.Gomez, O.Colley, P.Jagne, E.Darboe (Y.Njie 72′), S.Marreh, Y.Bobb (M.Mbye 90′), Modou Barrow (A.Ceesay 72′), A.Jallow (E.Colley 63′), Musa Barrow.