After winning against El Merriekh in the finals, Al-Rabita Women FC emerged winners of the Juba Local Football Association Women’s South Sudan Cup (J-LFAW-SSC).
After a 1-1 draw in the normal 90 minutes at Buluk playground on Sunday, Al-Rabita beat El Merriekh’s women’s team 4-3 in a dramatic penalty shootout.
The normal 90 minutes ended 1-1, culminating in inevitable penalties that served a cocktail of laughter.
Out of 11 players from both sides, only seven managed to put the ball behind the net, but most of them either fired the ball over the bar or just shot direct to the goalkeeper.
Al-Rabita players managed to score four of their penalties thanks to an 86th-minute stalemate.
El-Merriekh Women FC looked favourites after scoring an early goal in the first half to win the Juba Local FA Women’s South Sudan Cup but it was surely not their day.
The Mayor of Juba City Council, Michael Lado Allah-Jabu Thomas, and some other guests graced the match.
Al-Rabita Juba now joins Yei Joints Stars and Tiger United FC Awiel women’s team in the National Women’s Club competition, which will be organised after finishing the local FA competitions.
Last week, Yei Joint Stars hammered City Stars Women 6-0 to win their second consecutive Yei Local Women’s South Sudan Cup 2021 (Y-LW-SSC) in Yei town. This was after Tigers FC of Aweil beat Nar Lol FC 2-1 to claim their first-ever Aweil South Sudan Women’s Cup finals.
In his speech shortly after the match, Michael Lado Thomas, Mayor of Juba City Council, praised the two teams for their spirited fight displayed on the field.
According to him, there was a big improvement in women’s football, saying that the talent is way beyond what he expected.
He expressed his willingness to collaborate with SSFA to support the development of football within his municipality and beyond.
Charles Udwar, the vice president of the South Sudan Football Association, advised all parents to allow their children to discover their talents by practicing them on the pitch.
“Let your daughters come out and play. Allow them to discover their talent in football or any other sport. Sports are the only unifying factor that will see this country through. “