Ajax FC and Bax FC are through to the semi finals of 2017/18 Gunjur nawettan league cup following their triumphs over Solid Properties FC and Black Stars FC respectively. Ajax who were reduced to ten men in the closing stages of the first half shocked Solid with Ansu Jarju's brace, while FC Bax narrowly ran out 1 - 0 winners with Alama Bangura's goal against Black Stars in a game full of drama. Ajax a side with energetic, determined, committed, talented, hardworking, and pacy young players clashed with Solid a team blended with young and experienced players. The experience though, of Solid did not count in the game as Ajax showed a workmanlike performance. However, both sides didn't show any attacking ambition as the first period was dominated by cautious defensive displays. Ajax completed the first half with 10 men as captain Kansidia Touray received a straight red card for a wild tackle on Lamin Gibba. However Solid did not seem well placed to take advantage of Touray's dismissal, their lack of composure and poor concentration at the back compounds their downfall.
Ajax takes the lead through Ansu Jarju
Midway through the second half, Ansu Jarju picked up a defence splitting pass from assistant captain Lamin Kunta and kept his composure well in the box before cooly slotting home the opener.
As Solid got stretched chasing for a leveller, Ajax increased their lead to two-nil 6 minutes later. Winger Alieu Joof accelerated with the ball deep inside Solid half and skipped several challenges with tricky movements before laying to Ansu in the box who smashed home from close range to make it 2 - 0 and increased his goal tally to a total of three in the campaign. Solid tried to get back into the game to no avail as Ajax maintained a clean sheet for their fourth consecutive game.
Bax FC win marred by brawl
In the last quarter final game, FC Bax defeated Black Stars in a game characterised by brawl during the match which continued after the game ended. Both side possessed fairly well but, in reality it was Black Stars who created and squandered more decent opportunities. Bekai Lowe first had a shot blocked off the line by Bax FC's Ansu Sarr after the keeper misjudged the ball, before hitting a finishing touch chance against the legs of the keeper in the opening minutes, and Malang Jassey flashed a shot across the face of the goal post.
Bax soon became aware of Black Stars ambitions, as they made their first threatening move on the 10th minute which resulted in a breakthrough goal for Bax FC. A beautiful combination produced a sublime goal when right back Mustapha Janneh collected a pass from the goal keeper and connected the ball to the midfield where captain Mustapha Touray made a back flick pass to Omar Saine who switched the play to the left wing with a curling pass to youngster Meen Faal. Meen then carried the ball into the Black Stars box where he slowed his pace for the running Alama Bangura to reach the edge of the box before releasing a pass to Alama who unleashed a left footed strike into the top roof to increased his tally to four which makes him a joint top scorer with The-pub's Omar Nyassi.
Black Stars though did not give up hope. They kept pressing and had a disallowed goal in the second half for an offside which sparked a scuffle as furious Black Stars player and fans attack the assistant referee in protest. During the fracas, a supporter of Black Stars deliberately hit a Bax player Meen Faal who suffered a concussion.
The match was stopped for nearly seven minutes, upon resumption Bax could not add to their lead while Black Stars could not also cancel out the deficit. The melee though continued after the final whistle as the fans of the two sides clashed. A Black Star player attacked the Bax goalkeeper and exchanged punches with him as he accused the goalkeeper of time wasting.