A member of the only Gambian side to ever beat Senegal believes an overdue victory will come in Saturday's winner-takes-all 2010 World Cup and Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in Dakar.  The victory against their neighbours came way back in 1962, when the Scorpions won 3-2 in the Senegalese capital.

George Gomez, who scored in that match, believes his compatriots can earn the three points this weekend that will take them into the final round of qualifying.

"We have the team to beat Senegal - and Senegal are beatable," the 70-year-old told BBC Sport.

"The Teranga Lions of today are not the Lions of five or six years ago - some players have been there a long time and are now past their best."

"Our boys are a young team, very determined and very aware that we have not beaten Senegal for 46 years."

While the Senegalese squad includes five players from the 2002 World Cup side, the Gambia are a young squad built upon their youth success of 2005.

Gomez, now the executive director of Gambia's National Olympic Committee believes his nation's hosting and winning of the 2005 African Under-17 Championship changed its football forever.

"Senegal started in youth development in the 1970s, setting up academies which provided players who ended up in France, but we never had that," he explained.

"We've been a lot better ever since - especially after we performed so well in the 2005 Under-17 World Cup.

"Before the African Under-17 Championship, the Gambian FA drew up a talent identification programme and scouted players from all over the country.

"At the same time, youth academies started appearing for the first time when previously our scouting had been restricted to schools or the amateur game."

"After that, we invited Gambians from the diaspora to come for trials which is how we ended up with Njogu Demba and Cherno Samba in the squad."

Njogu Demba, a tall and powerful striker who plays for Norwegian side SK Brann, had been a selection worry for Gambia coach Paul Put but has come through a late fitness test.

"Demba is our top striker and very, very important for the team," a relieved Gomez explained.

As he casts his mind back to the game in 1962, the ex-international says he remembers it as if it were yesterday.

"We had no manager at the time and at half-time, when we were trailing 2-0, we reassured each other that we'd be ok," he recalls.

"We decided to change our formation and aimed to use the flanks more, and we ended up winning 3-2!"

The Gambian believes a similar strategy could be the key to success on Saturday, where victory for either side will take them to the final round of qualifying.

Algeria currently lead Group 6 with nine points, one ahead of both the Scorpions and the Teranga Lions.

The hopes of Ghana’s Black Satellites of a place at the 16th African Youth Championship, Rwanda 2009 comes under severe test this weekend as they trek Banjul as guests of the Gambian counterparts in the final round.

The Satellites have a 2-1 lead from the first leg and must avoid defeat to qualify for the biennial championships for the first time since 2003.

But the performance of the Young Scorpions during the first leg in Accra a fortnight has given Ghana coach Sellas Tetteh some sleepless nights as he yearns to succeed in a position his predecessors failed.

Touted as a prospective Black Stars coach in the not too distant future, Tetteh’s claim for the most talked about job in Ghana football could be made easier with a successful stint with the youth side.

It is in this regard that the former Hearts of Oak player has beefed up his squad with the inclusion of three players namely, Andre Ayew of French side FC Lorient, Jonathan Mensah of South African PSL side, Free State Stars and Abeiku Quansah of French side, OG Nice.

“We have worked on our shortfalls from first leg and will deliver,” Tetteh said confidently.

But the sentiments of the affable coach have been counteracted by his Gambian counterpart, Lamine Sarr, who has assured his side will end the reign of the Satellites.

“We won’t be complacent during the second leg, but I can say it is over for Ghana,” assured Sarr, who doubles as deputy of the senior national Gambian team.

Elsewhere, in Brazzaville, holders Congo is highly tipped to brush aside the Indomitable Cubs of Cameroon after managing a barren draw in Yaoundé during the first leg.

At Bamako, Mali face Benin with a two goal lead from the first meeting while Burkina Faso hosts Cote d’Ivoire in Ouagadougou.

The Young Pharaohs of Egypt, hosts of the World Championship face a tricky test in Lusaka as guests of the Young Chipolopolo of Zambia while South Africa is favoured to brush past Botswana.

The winners will join hosts, Rwanda for the final tournament to be held from January 18 to February 1, 2009.  

Fixtures
Mali           v  Benin           (2-0)  
Gambia         v  Ghana       (1-2) 
Sudan           v  Nigeria      (0-5)  
Zambia         v  Egypt         (3-3)  
Congo          v  Cameroon   (0-0)  
South Africa  v  Botswana   (1-1)  
Burkina Faso v  Ivory Coast  (0-1)

We are surprised that the GRTS is yet to do a special focus on the Scorpions. Right now, the Scorpions are getting ready to go into epic battle with the Lions of Senegal. The public is hungry to see how prepared the boys are for this decisive battle with our soccer rivals whom we are about to send packing from the qualifying round of the 2010 World Cup. For such a probable historic event, we expected that the GRTS would have started its focus on the Scorpions a week ahead of the big day – just tomorrow Saturday 11 2008.

The nation needs to be psyched up for the battle royale that the boys are going into; the fans need to feel the mood of the big game; they need to feel as one with the Scorpions. The Scorpions are our warriors, going to battle to preserve our national honour and pride.When they win tomorrow, the nation will be ecstatic.

Being a public broadcaster, the GRTS is better placed to let us know what is going on in the Scorpions camp – who is match fit and who is not? The public will also like to see how they are juggling the balls during training sessions live on TV before their very eyes. That way, even the public would have some insight into the real state of the team. And even make some useful suggestions to the technical crew.

GRTS ought to know that the Gambian public is football-mad, especially when the Scorpions are seen to be about to sting their preys with fatal venom. By not doing anything at all to show what is happening in the Scorpions camp, the GRTS starves the hungry Gambian public of seeing how well the boys are doing ahead of the clash with Senegal.

The Senegalese TV stations are beaming into Senegalese homes what is happening in the camp of the Lions of Teranga. With that, the fans are even more enthusiastic to give their all to the Lions.

By contrast, it is as if nothing is about to happen. This is a big moment in our soccer history. It therefore should be given all the publicity it deserves. And this publicity should have been planned and sustained until the D-Day.

But we hope that after our big victory tomorrow in Dakar, the GRTS would make up for this oversight by celebrating endlessly.

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 Confederation of African Football (CAF), has cleared The Gambia Under-17 team of alleged age cheating, Observer Sports can reveal.

The move means the "Baby Scorpions" can take their place in the second round of qualifying for the 2009 African Under-17 Championship in Algeria. They will play Ghana, having beaten Sierra Leone 7-1 on aggregate in the previous round.

The Sierra Leone FA  had protested to the continental football governing body alleging that The Gambia fielded three over-aged players in Ebrima Bojang, Lamin Samateh  and Kawsu Jatta.

But CAF has investigated the claims and ruled that there is no evidence to back it up.
The governing body of African football says the players in question shared their names with other footballers who had previously played in the competition.

The Gambia's football authorities had also denied the accusation, saying the Sierra Leone football authorities were just bitter over the shock defeat.

A British national Jean Gilly a philanthropist on Tuesday donated two sets of jerseys to young Juventus FC of Gunjur Kombo North Western Region, as part of her contribution to sports development in Gunjur.

Speaking at the presentation ceremony Ousman Jabang, captain of Young Juventus FC, commended the donor for her timely gesture, adding that the donation will go a long way in promoting the game of football in GunjurVillage. He then assured Mrs. Gilly that the donated items will be put into good use.

In her remarks the donor Jean Gilly expressed her readiness in promoting and developing the game of football in Gunjur especially at grassroots level. She then urged the beneficiaries to make good use of the items.