Adidas Mini Stadium in Cairo was jam-packed with colourful scenes when Sierra Leone Football Team took on the Liberian side in a solidarity football match to mark Sierra Leone’s 60th Anniversary celebrations. The game attracted hundreds of spectators from both communities at the Adidas Mini Stadium to support their community teams.
The pitch was full of excitement when both teams locked horns but it was not lacking the friendly taste. Both teams tried persistently to break the opponent, however, it all ended with Sierra leone going down 3 – 4 to Liberia in a what was classed as a fierce friendly encounter. The game started with the Sierra Leonean side looking very relaxed but confident of winning but the Liberians proved that great expectation otherwise.
They were very determined and composed. They attacked ferociously like a swarm of bees whose colony was split open to make way for a new Queen. “Though we lost the match by a goal margin, we respect our counterparts and feel that they deserve the win, yet nothing can take away the joy of celebrating Sierra Leone’s 60th Anniversary,” said Okomih, Coach of the Sierra Leone side. On the other hand “we were full of enthusiasm to play in today’s encounter with Sierra Leone again to demonstrate the strong neighbourliness and solidarity that bind our fraternity together that is needed on the occasion of your 60th Anniversary celebrations just as H.E President George Weah showed by gracing the Insignia Awards and the real ceremony in Freetown in the spirit of the Mano River Union (MRU)” the coach of the Liberian team Lucas said in a post match interview with Information AttachéKallon.
First Secretary of the Embassy of the Republic of Sierra Leone in Cairo Madam Fatmata H.Lahai before taking the kickoff in a stylish fashion emboldened the players to make themselves useful so as to be able to create a long-term positive impact for Sierra Leonean economy. Speaking during the presentation of trophy on behalf of Ambassador Morie Fofana, Information Attaché Mohamed B. Kallon praised the Liberian team for depriving the Sierra Leonean side of much needed victory.
He encouraged the players to be focused on their game and asked all Sierra Leoneans present to love one another, do better and learn to build bridges and mend fences rather than digging holes. He also encouraged them to declare zero tolerance on violence and make as much friends they could around as some friendship could be brotherly. The program ended in a grand fashion with the Embassy of Sierra Leone in Cairo providing sumptuous refreshments for both teams.
By Mohamed B Kallon Information Attaché Embassy of the Republic of Sierra Leone – Cairo Egypt
