By: Omar Jatta
The coach of The Gambia’s U-20 national team, Omar Sise says he is only looking forward to a convincing win in his team’s 2nd leg U-20 African Cup qualifying tie against Sierra Leone’s U-20 at
the Independence Stadium in Bakau, tomorrow, Saturday 23rd April 2016, Kick-off 16.30, adding his team’s focus in only on getting all three points at stake.
Mr Sise was speaking at a pre-match press conference held yesterday afternoon ahead of the epic encounter. His team currently lead the tie after a convincing 2-0 win away in Makeni, Sierra Leone early this month. He told the waiting Press that his players are all in the good shape and focused on getting the points needed to get through to the next round.
“All the players are fit and ready for the game,” said Mr Sise.
“We have almost reached the final stage of the preparations, as you can see in today’s training we did some tactical review which is positive and we going to demonstrate it.
“I am going to focus very much as how to attack and defend in order to win the game. We are focusing on the three points and we are working hard and praying to get that.”
Pa Omar Babou, the assistant captain of the team also indicated that the mood in the camp is calm and the boys are very confident of winning the game to earn the public’s respect and love.
“All that we have to do is to come out and implement what we have been taught at the training ground,” he said, while calling on the fans to come out and give the needed support to the team.
As part of the teams preparations ahead of the game against the Shooting Stars, Coach Omar Sise who will be making his home debut as the U-20 Coach in front of home fans, guided his boys to a 4-1 victory over The Gambia second-tier football league side, leaders Marimoo FC in a friendly match on Thursday at the Independence Stadium in Bakau.
The Young Scorpions’ win in Freetown earlier this month somehow lifted the melancholic mood that had gripped Gambia football fans after watching the senior national team fail to win any of their two legged AFCON 2017 qualifiers against the Mourabitones of Mauritania last month, losing 2-1 away and managing only a goalless draw at home, which left them at the foot of the table with very little hope of getting anywhere near Gabon in 2017.
The team lead by Omar Sise look a realistic bet to reach the Africa Youth championship in Zambia next February, but first they will have to complete the job against the Shooting Stars on Saturday afternoon. If they are through to the next round, The Gambia will face Morocco’s U-20 in a double-leg tie.
Sierra Leone’s last visit to The Gambia in this same competition ended in a 4-1 thrashing back in the 2011. However, the Shooting Stars’ coach, Charlie wright who has named 18 players for the away trip is hoping his boys can overturn the deficit and progress to the next stage. Having said that the Young Scorpions will be heading into the game as favourites having won the first leg 2-0.
GATE FEES:
The Football Federation GFF have reveal ticket price through their website, with VIP tickets costing up to a D1000.00 whilst Covered Pavilion for D100, the opposite stand at D50.00 and the two stands at the back of the goals for D25.00. The disparity between the fees for VIP and the cheapest is huge, but the organising committee maintains they want every Gambian to have a stake in the growth and development of Gambian football and thus the low prices for the lower end of the society. The tickets they say would only be sold at the Stadium gates on the match day and gates would be opened as early as 12 mid day.
