-As Gambia U-20 prepare for Wafu Cup

The Gambia Under -20 team will represent the country in the forthcoming Wafu football competition to be hosted in Nigeria next month, but the team will be without their embattled coach, Lamin Sarr.

The Gambia Football Association is set to name another local coach to guide the team to the 16-team regional tournament.

The Darling Scorpions, under the tutelage of Lamin Sarr, recently crashed out of the 2009 Rwanda U-20 qualifiers after a back-to-back defeat against their Ghanaian counterparts.

The under-fire coach, Lamin Sarr, was hugely criticized after Gambia’s hopes for a successive appearance in the second-most prestigious continental football tournament in Rwanda withered on the same day the senior Scorpions bowed out of the 2010 World Cup and Nations Cup qualifiers.

Fans reacted angrily to the Under 20’s elimination calling for the sacking of Lamin Sarr and now it seems the coach’s employer, The Gambia Football Association, has lost confidence in him.

“The Gambia Under 20 team will take part in the next Wafu Cup competition in Nigeria next month but not under the guidance of Coach Lamin Sarr. We are going to identify another local coach to try his luck with the team,” an insider at The Gambia Football Association who preferred anonymity told Observer Sports yesterday.

The Nigeria tournament, which will mark the first Wafu Cup since 2004, has been fixed to begin from November 30 to December 14, 2008.

Salif Diao has described his four-hour terror when Senegal fans went on the rampage following the country's elimination from World Cup qualifying.  Diao, along with Stoke City team-mates Abdoulaye Faye and Ibrahima Sonko, were caught up in crowd trouble in Dakar.

The violence followed Saturday's 1-1 draw with neighbours The Gambia.  The result eliminated Senegal from the 2010 World Cup, prompting furious fans to hurl stones and metal bars on to the pitch before rioting in the streets.

Diao told the Stoke Sentinel: "The frustration was too much to handle for a lot of them.

"There are always some trouble-makers - and after the game, some of them tried to destroy the stadium.

"They also burned tyres on the main road and the football federation headquarters. They weren't happy.

"We had to stay in the changing rooms from 6pm until 10pm before we could come out of the stadium in undercover cars to get back to our hotel.

"I've not experienced that before, but I know there were similar problems two years ago when we missed qualifying for the last World Cup.  "Then, they stoned the bus while the players were on it.

This time no one wanted to take a chance on the bus, so we had to sit in the changing rooms."  Diao added: "Sometimes people don't see just how big football is for these African countries.  "It is not just about winning a football match - you are also fixing big social issues. If it doesn't work then there is trouble."

Paul Put is now a household name in The Gambia. His fame in the country, in less than a year of his tenure as Gambia’s coach, is rested on a good record with the Scorpions.

The 52-year-old Belgian was, in May 2008, hired by The Gambia Football Association, amidst a heated debate, to take charge of The Gambia Scorpions a few weeks prior to the start of their quest for a place in the 2010 World Cup and African Nations Cup finals in South Africa and Angola respectively.

Shortly after signing The Gambia deal, pessimists hinted that his hiring would not have any positive impact on  Gambia’s performance simply because he had less than enough time to prepare the team.

The European proved the sceptics wrong when he started with a 1-1 away draw against Liberia on June 1, followed by a goalless draw against the highly-rated Senegal side in Banjul one week later.

The Belgian earned his first three points in charge of the Scorpions when he beat the fancy Algerian side 2-1 in Banjul, but this was quickly followed by his first defeat just one week later against the same side in Algiers.

However, Paul Put, who had coached a number of top European clubs including Belgium’s SK Lierse, Lokeren and St. Nicolas, surprisingly woke up from the maiden defeat, and successfully guided The Gambia to a 3-0 thumping of Liberia in Banjul. This overwhelming result saw The Gambia leap-frog arch rivals Senegal into second place in Group Six table with eight points.

It is the first time the Gambia Scorpions have bagged eight points in a World Cup and Nations Cup qualifiers. The Gambia will travel to Dakar this weekend needing to avoid a defeat to stand a chance of progressing to the next stage of the qualifiers.

With less than a week to the make-or-break match, which will also mark the end of the first round of the joint qualifiers, Observer Sports’ anchorman, Nanama Keita, went to meet the seasoned European at the Sheraton Hotel to ask him about his state of preparedness, among other issues.

Excerpt: In less than one week, The Gambia will take on Senegal in a decisive fixture that will decide The Gambia’s fate in the 2010 World Cup and Nations Cup qualifiers. What is your team’s state of preparedness ahead of this match?

We have two types of preparations - One is physical preparation and the other is phycological preparation, where you have to be in contact with your players. Since most of them are playing overseas, I have to communicate with them via e-mail and telephone.

So I have been contacting my players and the reactions from them is that they believe in themselves, that they will do all they can to get here on time for the game.

Some will start arriving on Sunday, while others will be coming on Monday and Tuesday.

You said you are in touch with your players, is there any injury worry?

Already I know that Pa Saikou Kujabi will not be able to come because he has contracted malaria. But I only knew of it a few days ago when we contacted him for the game. For others, they still have some games to play for their clubs so you can’t tell. I can only have a better view of the players when I have them on the training ground.

Is Pa Saikou’s absence a blow to your preparation?

He is an experienced player who has great speed and power. He is also a left footer and we don’t have many left footers. But I am sure that the one who will replace him will do better.

Senegal have named a squad that includes some experienced players like Khalilou Fadiga. Is this a threat to you?

I know Fadiga from Belgium. He is a fantastic player and like I always say, Senegal have a lot of players who play in top European clubs. But mark you, The Gambia too have a good team with lots of youngsters who are hungry for success.

History has it that The Gambia hardly beat Senegal at senior level, more so when the two sides are to play on Senegal’s soil. So do you think your squad has the strength to break this jinx?

Already The Gambia have eight points and this has never happened before. So this means  something. The most important thing is that we have been building a foundation and it has to continue. The players know that this is very important game not for only The Gambia but also for their future. So I am counting on them to deliver the desired result.

Every Gambian would love to see the Scorpions win the match, yet the unexpected can happen, where the Scorpions can also lose. What will be your reaction if Gambia lose in Dakar?

You can’t say before the game. You can play a very good game and lose. We lost against Algeria but I came home with my head high up simply because we had a good game. We have to wait, but honestly if we should lose, that does not mean the end of the road. We have time to keep something for the future and now we have to continue to work for the future.

The Gambia have a great future and what we have been doing within this short period, to me, is a miracle.

Will you still like to work with the Gambian team even if we don’t achieve the World Cup dream?

I always show to the people that I am proud to be the coach of The Gambia National team. I would be more than willing to continue with this team because it’s a team with a bright future. The reactions from the players since I took over has been positive and this means a lot me. The Football Association is also very supportive of me and the people are also hospitable. So I have always felt at home since the first day I came into the country.

However, I know that my work is not finish yet. I will only be happy if I accomplish my work - and that is to qualify the team.

When you heard that Senegal will recall some senior players to beef up their squad, didn’t you also think of inviting some experienced players like Seyfo Soley and Jatto Ceesay to balance your team?

I think about lot of things. But you also have to think of the future. We have to give the young ones the chance to prove themselves and get the experience they needed. This is the only advantage you can get for the future. If I stick to the old players and let the youngsters warm the bench, how can we be assured of the future.

Does that mean that no new faces should be expected in the squad for the match?

Yes... Only that there will be some change of roles because we are going for more offensive players. Sometimes changing the squad does not work and I just have to stick to the previous team though every player most prove to me that he deserves a place in the team.

Any final word?

The Gambia have a great team. Though most of the players are not playing at the highest level in Europe, they have the quality. They only need the experience and maturity. But it is just a matter of time, so I need the time to have a better view of the players playing in Europe as well as home based players. We also have to develop the players within the age brackets of 16 and 18.

I can tell you that The Gambia have a diamond, we only need to polish the diamond and this requires time.

Fadiga included, Niang and  Diawara left out

Senegal coach Lamin Ndiaye has named a 23-man squad for next week's 2010 World Cup qualifier against Gambia. The under-pressure coach has, however, sprung a major surprise by failing to select Mamadou Niang and Souleymane Diawara for the make-or-break encounter at the Leopard Sedar Senghore Stadium in Dakar.

The France-based duo ended self-imposed exiles from the national team last week in a move seen as clearing the path for their return for the critical tie in Dakar on 11 October.

Yet both are now paying the price for missing all five of Senegal's qualifiers so far, as Ndiaye keeps faith with those players who have contested a stuttering Group 6 campaign.

The coach has also handed a first call-up in over two years to veteran Khalilou Fadiga, who has resurrected his career in Belgium with Germinal Beerschot after recovering from heart problems.

The 33-year-old playmaker, who was key to Senegal's fine Nations Cup and World Cup displays in 2002, will lend much-needed creativity to a side sometimes lacking ideas.

Elsewhere, coach Ndiaye has drafted in Remi Gomes the first time and the midfielder, 24, becomes the second player this year to opt to play for Senegal rather than France - just as Issiar Dia did in June.

The coach is not due to meet the press until Monday (today) but the local media is already speculating that he was loath to upset the balance of his squad by recalling Niang and Diawara.

Their return had been expected after Ndiaye insisted they formally end their exiles by writing to Senegalese football authorities, which the pair did on 24 September.

It is a considerable gamble because if the 2002 World Cup quarter-finalists fail to win next week, they will miss out on not only Africa's first World Cup in 2010 but that year's Nations Cup as well.

Senegal currently lie third in Group 6, trailing second-placed Gambia on goal difference and leaders Algeria by a point.

If the Algerians win their final game in Liberia, Senegal must beat their neighbours to have any chance of reaching next year's final round of qualifying as one of the eight best runners-up.
 
Senegal Squad:

Goalkeepers
Tony Mario Sylva (Trabonzspor, Turkey) Bouna Coundoul (Colorado Rapids, USA), Pape Laye Coulibaly (Saint-Etienne, France)
Defenders: Pascal Mendy (FC Kaunas, Lithuania), Abdoulaye Diagne Faye, Ibrahima Sonko (Stoke City, England), Pape Malickou Diakhaté (Dynamo Kiev, Ukraine), Ibou Faye (Troyes, France), Cheikh Guèye (FC Metz, France)

Midfielders
Kader Mangane (Rennes, France), Guirane Ndaw (FC Nantes, France), Issiar Dia (Nancy, France), Rémi Gomis (SM Caen, France), Frédéric Mendy (Bastia, France), Khalilou Fadiga (Germinal Beerschot, Belgium), Salif Diao (Stoke City, England), Ousmane Ndoye (FC Vaslui, Romania)

Forwards
Pape Waïgo Ndiaye (Fiorentina, Italy), Henri Camara (Wigan Athletics, England), El Hadji Diouf (Sunderland, England), Modou Sougou (Academica Coimbra, Portugal), Mbaye Leye (Zulte Waregem, Belgium), Babacar Guèye (FC Metz, France).

The Gambia Scorpions have arrived in Algiers, capital of Algeria, yesterday, ahead of their return leg against the Desert Warriors in matchday four of the joint 2010 World Cup and Nations Cup qualifier competitions. The crucial fixture is scheduled for Friday, June 20, at 18:00 hours, at Blida.

Belgian Paul Put, who travelled with a 20-man squad, maintained all the eighteen players that were named in the squad that down the Northerners in Banjul last weekend.

The two new faces added to the squad are Finland-based defender, Abdoulie Paco Corr, whose two-match suspension elapsed last weekend and left full-back, Pa Saikou Kujabi, who missed last weekend’s match after picking up two yellow cards in Scorpion first two matches against Liberia and Senegal.

The Scorpions, who are still unbeaten in the qualifying, are level on points with Senegal in Group 6 table, while Algeria are third with three points.
 
Liberia, who will be travelling to Dakar after Sunday’s dramatic 2-2 draw in Monrovia, are at the bottom with two points from three matches.

The joint qualifier will determine the five teams that will represent Africa in South Africa 2010 World Cup finals and the 16 teams in the Nations Cup finals to be hosted in Angola.

The group winners and 8 best runners-up in the 12-group  qualifying will advance to the second group stage.  The 20 teams will be put into 5 groups of 4, with group winners advancing to the World Cup finals and top three nations in each group advancing to the 2010 African Cup of Nations.

The Gambia’s 20-man squad to Algeria

Goalkeepers
Musa Bajaha, Robert Badjie

Defenders
Abdou Jammeh, Matthew Mendy, Lamin Conateh, Abdoulie Paco Corr, Pa Modou Jagne, Pa Saikou Kujabi

Midfielders
Mustapha Jarju, Ebrima Sohna, Tijan Jaiteh, Yankuba Ceesay

Strikers
Ousman Jallow, Abdoulie Mansally, Ebou Sillah, Edrissa Sonko, Aziz Corr Nyang, Njogu Demba, Assan Jatta, Ebrima Sawaneh.

The African continent was rocked by quakes from north to south as major superpowers were brought to their knees by countries quietly referred to as minnows.

Egypt, Ghana, Cameroon, and Ivory Coast, amongst others, did not exactly get the result they bargained for, finding themselves stunned as the qualification path took another twist..

Group 1

The Indomitable Lions of Cameroon remain top of Group 1 despite playing out a barren draw against the Taifa Stars of Tanzania in Dar-Es-Salaam on Saturday.

The Lions had no response for the inspirational display of the Marcio Maximo-led Tanzanian team, who were in desperate need of results after a dismal performance so far in the competition.

The other game in the group saw the Cape Verde Islands secure a vital 1-0 away victory against Mauritius in Curepipe to remain second with a four point gap between themselves and third placed Tanzania.

The only goal of the game came from the penalty spot courtesy of Osasuna man Dady, 34 minutes into the encounter.

The 26-year-old kept his composure to tuck the ball in the back of the net and secure victory for the Central African team.

Group 2

The Harambee Stars of Kenya leapt to the top ofG group 2 of the ongoing 2010 World Cup/Nations Cup qualifying campaign after they defeated the Warriors of Zimbabwe 2-0 in Nairobi.

McDonald Mariga put the home side ahead after just 13 minutes of play before Dennis Oliech added the second for the team late in the second half.

In the other match, the Syli Stars of Guinea grabbed their first win of the campaign after they grabbed a hard fought 2-1 victory away to Arie Schans' Brave Warriors of Namibia in Windhoek.

Ismael Bangoura opened the scoring for the Guinean side after only fifteen minutes of play. Rudolf Bester drew level for the Namibians five minutes before the break, but Saint-Etienne man Pascal Feindouno secured victory for the Guineans on the stroke of half time.

Group 3

The Cranes of Uganda crushed 2006 World Cup contenders Angola 3-1 in their third match.

The Ugandan team gave their home fans reason to cheer within the first twenty minutes as they raced to a 2-0 lead thanks to goals from Eugene Sepuya and a brilliant strike from Andrew Mwesigwa.

The Angolans tried to reply to the early assault from the Cranes but found the defence of the home team too hard to penetrate.

The Cranes confirmed their victory with only ten minutes left in the game with a third goal off the boots of Dan Wagaluka.

The Angolans finally found a way round the Ugandan defence through Pedro Mantorras in the final minute of the game, but it could only serve as a consolation for the team from the Southern Part of the Continent.

The result puts the Ugandan team on the same points with the Palancas Negras, but the Cranes are still second due to a lesser goal difference.

In the other game of the group, the Squirrels of Benin had to provide an improved second half display to defeat their counterparts from Niger 0-2 in the Nigerien capital of Niamey.

Seidath Tchomogo opened the scoring for the visitors on the hour mark, and Swedish based striker Razaq Omotoyossi added a second for the West Africans five minutes later.

The result puts the Beninoise team on the same points as Angola and Uganda, but they have a better goals difference than the West African side.

Group 4

The Leone Stars of Sierra Leone finally got their first points of the 2010 World Cup/Nations Cup qualifying campaign thanks to a 1-0 victory over the visiting Bafana Bafana of South Africa on Saturday in Freetown.

The only goal of the encounter was scored from the spot by former Inter Milan striker Mohammed Kallon in the 22nd minute of the encounter.

With the result, the South Africans have won only one game from the three they have played so far, and are in danger of not making it to the next round of the qualifying campaign. A situation that would see the World Cup host missing out on the 2010 African Cup of Nations in Angola.

A third minute strike from defender Joseph Yobo gave the Super Eagles of Nigeria a 1-0 victory over the Nkala National from Equatorial Guinea.

The Nigerian team without their inspirational strike captain Kanu Nwankwo dominated the game played at the Stade Malabo and should have won by a larger margin, had the Nigerian strikers been more effective upfront.

Group 5

The Black Stars of Ghana were on Saturday in Libreville stunned 2-0 by the Panthers of Gabon in a group five 2010 World Cup/ Nations Cup qualifying game.

The host team sent the capacity crowd at the Libreville stadium into wild ecstasy with a goal just at the stroke of halftime from Roger Meye.

The Ghanaian team parading all their stars including Michael Essien, Sulley Muntari, and Junior Agogo could not fashion a response to the entertaining brand of football Alain Giresse men had on parade.

Gabon confirmed their dominance in the encounter by scoring their second of the evening through Stephane Nguema.

The result ensures that Gabon have bounced back to reckoning in the qualifying race and now have a chance of making it out of the group stages should they pick up enough results in their remaining three fixtures.

Libya joined the Black Stars of Ghana at the top of group 6 after they were able to secure a 1-0 victory over Lesotho in Bloemfontein. The only goal of the encounter was scored in the 81st minute of the encounter through Ahmed Osman.

Libya now have six points same with Ghana, but are behind on goal difference.

Group 6

The Teranga Lions of Senegal threw away a two goal lead to play out a 2-2 draw with the Lone Stars of Liberia in a dramatic game played at the Samuel Doe stadium in Monrovia.

Bolton Wanderers striker, El Hadji Diouf gave the visitors the lead few minutes after the restart. Cheikh Gueye added the second for the Senegalese eight minutes later.

However  the home side, who are yet to get a win in the qualifying campaign were not ready to drop points at home either, and rallied back through Dioh Williams in the 78th minute, and Oliver Makor with two minutes left in normal time.

The result means that Senegal are now placed second in the group behind Gambia.

The Scorpions of Gambia defeated the Desert Warriors of Algeria 1-0 in one of the surprise results of the third round of matches of the ongoing 2010 World Cup/Nations Cup qualifying matches.

The game, played in the Gambian capital of Banjul, saw Mustafa Jarju score the only goal of the game in the 19th minute after he coolly converted a penalty kick.

Group 7

The Elephants of Cote d’Ivoire were on Saturday held to a 1-1 draw for the second straight game in their 2010 World Cup/Nations Cup qualifying game against the Zebras of Botswana in Gaborone.

The Zebras went ahead half way through the first half with a goal from Dipsy Selowane.

The Elephants had to rally back in the second half with an equalizer from Kanga Akale in the 64th minute of the encounter.

With the victory, The Zebras of Botswana lead the group on goals difference, while the elephants still without their talismanic captain Didier Drogba have managed to amass only 5 points from their three games so far.

In the other game of the group, Mozambique held out for a 1-1 away draw against Madagascar in Antananarivo.

Dario put the visitors ahead in the 33rd minute of the encounter, before Guy Mamihasindrahona’s last minute equalizer ensured the home side shared the spoils, and deny the Mozambicans their first victory of the campaign.

It would be the third draw Madagascar would be amassing in as many games played.

The Zebras of Botswana remain atop the group.

Group 8

The Amavubi Stars of Rwanda retained top spot in group 8 of their 2010 World Cup/ Nations Cup qualifying campaign thanks to an incredible 3-1 victory over the Atlas Lions of Morocco in Kigali.

Elias Ntaganda opened the scoring for the Wasps in the 14th minute of the encounter, as the home side ran riots in the Moroccan half of the pitch.

In the 58th minute Bogota Labama doubled the advantage for the home side with a second goal.

On the 80th minute of play, Youssef Safri gave the Moroccans some form of hope as he found a way around the Rwandese defense to bury the ball in the back of the net.

However, the home side made sure of victory in the final minute of the game through a stunning goal from Olivier Karekezi.

The other game of the group saw Ethiopia on Friday grab a late winner in Nouakchott against the under-performing Mauritanian team to hand them their first points of the qualifying campaign.
 
Group 9

The Stallions of Burkina Faso had to rely on a Hat-trick from Moumouni Dagano to defeat the Seychelles Island 3-2 in their third game of the ongoing 2010 World Cup/ Nations Cup qualifiers played on Saturday in the Seychelles capital of Victoria.

Moumouni Dagano put the visitors ahead in the first half, but Seychelles made a rally early in the second half with two quick goals from Don Annacoura and Philip Zialor to lead the game for the first time.

However Dagano scored two goals afterwards to give the Stallions their third victory in as many matches in the qualifying campaign.

The Stallions lead group 9 with nine maximum points,

Radhi Jaidi’s 66th minute strike gave the Carthage Eagles of Tunisia their second away victory of the qualifying campaign as they defeated Burundi 1-0 at the Stade Prince Louis Rwagasore stadium in Bujumbura.

It was Coach Humberto Coelho’s first game in charge of the team.
 
Group 10

The Nile Crocrodile of Sudan brought their 2010 World Cup/ Nations Cup campaign alive with an inspired 3-2 home victory over the Eagles of Mali in Khartoum on Saturday.

The Sudanese playing only their second game in the campaign, got ahead in the game through Amir Damar Kuku just before the half time break.

Sevilla of Spain striker, Frederic Kanoute drew the West African level moments after the restart. The Sudanese however added two more goals before Kanoute got a late consolation for the visitors, who are suffering their first defeat under their new Nigerian coach.

The other game in the group also saw Chad record their first points of the qualifying campaign thanks to a 2-1 victory over the Azingo Stars of Congo in N’djamena.

They however had to come back from a goal down, after Congo took the lead on the half hour mark through Gervais Batota’s strike.

The Chadian team rallied back ten minutes later through Hillaire Kedigui, and Armand Djerabe scored the winner at the start of the second half.
 
Group 11

Swaziland maintained their stronghold on the zenith of group 11 despite being held to a 1-1 draw by the Chipolopolo boys of Zambia at the Somhlolo National Stadium in Mbabane.

The Zambians remains at the bottom of the three man group, but could go top of the group this weekend if they defeat Swaziland in the return fixture.

Group 12

Reigning African Champions, the Pharaohs of Egypt were given a rude shock to their current status as African kings when they fell 1-0 to the Flames of Malawi in Blantyre in their group twelve 2010 World Cup/ Nations Cup qualifying game.

The only goal of the encounter came late on in the game off the boots of Chiukepo Msowoya after both teams look set to end the affair in a barren draw.

The result puts the flames on top of the group, on the same points with Egypt and DR Congo. However the Malawians have a better goals difference thanks to an 8-1 drubbing of Djibouti in their opening group fixture.

Djibouti suffered their third loss in the ongoing 2010 World Cup/ Nations Cup on Friday that effectively seals their chances of making it to the next round of the competition, after they went down 6-0 to the visiting Simba's of DR Congo in Djibouti in their group 12 clash.

Zola Matumona (40th and 49th minute)  and Dieumerci Mbokani (25th and 48th minute) both scored a brace each to give the Central African team their biggest win in almost two years.

Former Monaco of France striker Shabani Nonda (31st minute) and Mabi Mputu (79th minute) added the other two goals to keep the Simbas on the same points with Malawi and Egypt on the table.