Perhaps one of his team mates should've pinched his arm: "I can't believe this. One of my biggest dreams has come true. Is this real or am I dreaming?" asked Ousman Manneh after having scored the 2-1 winner against Bayer 04 Leverkusen. It was his first Bundesliga goal and one that he will certainly never forget: "It's an absolutely unbelievable feeling."
It shouldn't be that big of a surprise though, seeing that the 19-year-old has earned himself this moment of joy through hard work. He made his debut against Mainz, assisted a goal against Darmstadt and now bagged one himself against Leverkusen. "Ous has never been gifted anything, but instead he's worked hard the last few years and shown a constant development," explained Werder manager Alexander Nouri.
Manneh's team mates have a similar view on his progression. "He's very diligent and eager to learn," said Zlatko Junuzovic. "He listens and implements what's expected of him. He's a down-to-earth and positive person and always in a good mood. We are all really happy for him and he deserves to have scored this goal." Skipper Clemens Fritz is not all too surprised about Manneh's development: "His progression in the last two years is not a coincidence."
Manneh is a hard working striker, always willing to go the extra distance and never shies away from a challenge. His style of play is not exactly typical for a striker, but that's irrelevant as long as he keeps adding goals to his tally. "Last year I didn't score any goals as I was working on different aspects of my game. Now I need to work on improving my efficiency," knows Manneh. His manager Alexander Nouri will not allow him to become complacent. "Even after a game like today, my manager will come to me and say that I shouldn't be satisfied. It encourages me to keep going," revealed Manneh after the final whistle.
It's quite likely that Manneh was a bit sleep-deprived in the night from Saturday to Sunday, having just scored his first professional goal. "There are so many things running through my mind and I'm certainly going to need a while before I can fall asleep," said the match winner after the game. Perhaps he will be able to realise on Sunday morning what he achieved on Saturday in the Weser Stadion.
