By Hassan Osman Kargbo
Following their 1-1 draw against the Liberians U-17 in their second match in Kenema, the Sierra Leone National Female U-17 has defeated Liberia National Female U-17 by 1-0 in the ongoing Women’s Day Cup! This encounter took place on 5 March 2024 at the Kenema City Field and it’s their third match where they got their victory.
The match started with a lot of optimism and Sierra Leone National Female U-17 took the lead in the 15 minutes a goal scored by Sallay Turay. 
Their Liberian counterpart had a lot of chances but didn’t make used of them and the match ended 1-0 in the first half of play in favour of Sierra Leone.
In the second half of play, the Liberians came very strong to get their equalizer but the resilience of the Sierra Leoneans female defence made things very much difficult for them to get their equalizer and they later lost by 1 goal to nil.
During the match, Ishatu A Koroma made a remarkable debut for the Sierra Leone National Under-17 team as the first-choice goalkeeper. Showcasing her talent and expressing her optimism for the future. After the match, in an interview with SLFA Media, Ishatu shared expressed her gratitude to her parents, friends, and football supporters for their advice and encouragement. Her dream of wearing the Sierra Leone National Jersey in an international competition has now become a reality, as she made her debut in a match between Liberia U-17 and Sierra Leone U-17, which ended in their favour by 1 goal to nil at the Kenema City Field.
She was a strong pillar in helping the Sierra Leone National U17 clinch the Women’s Day Cup championship after they defeated Liberia by 1-0 and was crowned Woman of the Match for her outstanding performance.
Looking ahead, Ishatu aims to play for bigger clubs both nationally and internationally. Currently, she is the First Choice Goalkeeper for Koya Queens FC in the Sierra Leone Female Premier League where her impressive performances over the past two years have earned her recognition and a spot in the national team. Ishatu’s story is one of determination, breaking stereotypes, and pursuing her passion for football, inspiring many young girls to follow their dreams.
