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Battle lines drawn for Africa U-17 qualifiers

Fri, 21 Nov 2008 04:10:45 GMT

Friday, November 21, 2008

The seven places for the 8th Africa U-17 Championships to be hosted in Algeria next year will be decided this weekend after the second leg matches of the final round.

The centre of attraction will be in Banjul, where the Baby Scorpions of Gambia play host to Ghana’s Black Starlets. The Scorpions must overturn a 1-3 deficit from the first leg to reach their second finals in four years, which will also see them avenge the painful loss suffered by their seniors, Darling Scorpions, to their Ghanaian counterparts for the African Youth Championship.

The failure of the Baby Scorpions will serve a recipe for disaster to Gambian youth football, gradually carving a niche for itself. In the build up this weekend’s clash, the Gambians have been preparing feverishly for the make-or-break tie. Scorpions head coach Belgian Paul Put has been drafted in to assist Egyptian Tarik Siagy in preparing the team for the final bout.

Elsewhere, the Junior Warriors of Zimbabwe will be seeking to complete a double over Angola after a 3-2 win from the leg for a place at the finals. The quartet; Rwanda, Malawi, Niger and Guinea will be involved in dicey home duels against Burkina Faso, Namibia, Cote d’Ivoire and Guinea respectively.
All four teams lost by a goal margin during the first leg fixtures.

At the Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium in Yaounde, the Indomitable Cubs of Cameroon are highly tipped to complete a double over Eritrea after a 2-0 win Asmara, a fortnight ago. Cameroon, champions of the 2003 edition hosted in Swaziland have missed out on the last two editions and will be seeking to make a claim as a strong force in cadet football by beating Eritrea to seal qualification.

Author: by Nanama Keita

Let’s hope for the better

Thu, 16 Oct 2008 07:39:29 GMT

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Editor,

Like many Gambians, I'm deeply saddened by The Scorpions' exit from the World/Africa Nation's Cups qualifiers. We've come so close, yet so far. We were so close that we even earned an asterisk on the FIFA Website with an explainer: The Gambia were equal on points with Mozambique but the latter slide through on superior goal difference. Yikes!! I took a gander at the Groups and Standings table posted on fifa.com to make sense of it all. The following was immediately apparent: Mozambique (8 pts, Goal Difference = +1). Sudan (9 pts, Goal Difference = 0. At first glance, The Gambia had a better record (9 points, GD +3). How come those teams are through and we're not?

I knew the qualification matrix was very complicated due to some groups consisting of three (3) teams and others having four (4) teams. Still, the records seemed self-explanatory to me. I needed to understand how the Scorpions aren't among the best 8 runners-up with the record they had? My dismay impelled me to look closer and seek meaning and explanation. Was I missing something? As it turned out, I was indeed missing something.

This paragraph at fifa.com explained why The Scorpions aren't among the last 20 teams: "Once all the matches in the four-team groups have been played, the results between the second- and fourth-placed sides will not be considered when comparing the second-placed teams' respective records." In simple language, our results against Liberia, who finished forth in our group, didn't count.

The four (4) points accumulated against the Lone Stars (a win at home and a draw away) amounted to exactly nothing; didn't count! By the same token, Mozambique's results against Botswana (the forth place team in their group, didn't count) in the final talley. In other words, only the results involving the top three (3) teams in each group mattered. The extra game against the team that eventually finished last in the group only amounted to an exhibition game. It turns out a little bit of luck was needed to get over the hump. Hard luck Gambia!

Nonetheless, we have every reason to be proud of the Scorpions for their sheer grit and character, not only dominating the Lions in Dakar but digging deep to come back from a goal down to Senegal. For the second successive qualifying campaign, we missed out by a whisker. Let's hope it is third time lucky when 2012 comes around.

Sherif Drammeh

USA

Author: DO

Gambia must retain Paul Put

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 08:34:41 GMT

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Despite watching his side slightly missed out on qualification for the final round of the 2010 combined World Cup and Nations Cup qualifiers, The Gambia football authorities must do all they can to retain the brave Belgian coach Paul Put.

The 52-year-old European was, in May 2008, hired to take charge of The Gambia Scorpions just a few weeks prior to the start of Scorpions quest for a place in the 2010 World Cup and African Nations Cup finals.

Despite the short notice in hand, the Belgian proved he was the right man for the job.

He may not have realised his dream of guiding the Scorpions to the next stage of the qualifiers, but what he has achieved within a brief spell of his The Gambia stint is unprecedented. He is another foreign coach who has taken Gambian football to another to another level.

Yes I agree with the saying that charity begins at home, meaning we should always nurture our local coaches for national team jobs. But it is also no secret that The Gambian teams tend to do better under the eyes of foreign coaches than our local coaches.

It’s still fresh in our minds the good work of the Ghananian coach, Fred Osam Duodo, who successfully guided The Gambia to her first ever continental trophy in 2005.

The same was true of the Italian coach, Lorenzo Rubinazzi, who started off brightly with The Gambia Under 20 team in the qualifiers for the 2009 African Youth Championship finals in Rwanda.

Then come Paul Put who has helped Gambia Scorpions secured nine valuable points in a FIFA World Cup qualifiers - The first time in Gambian football history.

We cannot underrate the effort of the local coaches but they were all given chance to prove themselves only for them to blew it off.

Coaches Alhaji Sillah, Sang Ndong, Pa Faye, Bonu Johnson, Alagie Sarr and Lamin Sarr were all given the chance to impress the Gambian football faithful but they all failed eventually.

We have seen how The Gambia Under 20 team were misguided during the 2007 Congo Under 20 Championships and the FIFA Under 20 finals later in the same year in Canada.

And the latest local coach to let the whole Gambia down was Lamin Sarr who suffered a back-to-back defeat to Ghana in the final round of the qualifiers for Rwanda 2009 Under 20 Championships.

All these setbacks have justified why we should not entrust our national teams in the hands of local coaches if we have an option of to hire a competent foreign coach.

Author: by Nanama Keita

Gambia U-20 coach optimistic of qualification

Tue, 30 Sep 2008 03:41:48 GMT

Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Gambia Under 20 team coach, Lamin Sarr, has told Ghana to forget their qualification to next year's African Youth Championship billed for Rwanda even before Gambia host the Satellites in a return qualifier in Banjul in a fortnight's time.

The Baby Scorpions relinquished an early lead to be beaten 1-2 in their match against the Satellites of Ghana, yet, coach Sarr insists his boys have the job well cut out for the game as the final results automatically qualifies one of the teams for the Championship.

Coach Sarr, without sounding complacent, said his charges would deliver at home to book qualification to the competition, which they exited as bronze medallist in Congo Brazzaville last year.

"The team was without six of my key players and yet these boys proved beyond every reasonable doubt that they can deliver.

"The story will have been different if those boys had made it but whether I maintain this team or not, Ghana will not be able to stand between us and qualification," GNA Sports quoted optimistic Sarr saying.

Gambia's captain, Pa Modou Jagne and Sainey Sidibeh were the only foreign players in the team that glittered and pushed Ghana's ambitions at the reverse gear for most part of the game.

Coach Sarr's desire is to improve upon the team's performance at home in their quest to overturn the results that would complete their dream.

"We played total football and refused to defend like we were expected to do. Gambia will surely be in Rwanda and for that reason we will be better at home and complete our mission,” he said.

His counterpart, Sellas Tetteh, said he would stick with his charges when they journey to Banjul in a fortnight in search of a result that could qualify them to the 2009 AYC slated for Rwanda.

Author: by Nanama Keita

Kolongba FC VS Bereto in Bundiadu Nawettan Final

Tue, 09 Sep 2008 07:03:48 GMT

Tuesday, September 09, 2008

Kolongba FC lost to a team composed of football veterans in the semi-finals of the Bundiadu Nawettan.

The Veterans beat Kolongba FC 2-0. Despite losing in the semis, Kolongba FC gained automatic qualification to the final following unsporting behaviour by Alieu Manneh of the Veteran side. He was shown a red card by the referee during the game and refused to follow the referee’s orders as a result the organising Committee decided to forfeit the Veterans points and gave Kolongba FC a ticket to the final.

In the second semi final, Bereto FC came from a goal down to squeeze a 2-1 victory out of Bantanto FC. Lamin Nyani put Bantanto in the lead in he first half.

Jorbateh Manneh and Aziz Hydara goals in the second half sent Bereto FC to the final.

Kolongba FC will now take on Bareto FC in the final slated for after the holy month of Ramadan.

Author: By Sainabou Kujabi

Boxer Badou Jack out of Olympics

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 03:48:38 GMT

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Boxer Badou Jack, who carried the Gambian flag in his first Olympic Games appearance in Beijing Games, has bowed out in first-round competition, Observer Sports can reveal.

The Gambian-Swede boxer crashed out after losing to Vijender Kumar 13:2 in the Round of 32 in the 75-kg bout on Saturday, August 9.

Badou was one of three Gambian athletes in Beijing Games; the other two being Fatou Tiyana and Suwaibou Sanneh who were to compete in the women’s and men’s 100 and 200 metres respectively.

Born in Sweden to a Swedish mother and Gambian father, Badou was qualified for Gambian citizenship.
After switching allegiance as a Gambian earlier this year, Badou’s first task was to seek qualification for the Beijing Olympic Games at the African boxing championship held in Namibia last March. He won all his fights in the 75kg weight category to become the first Gambian to attain the qualifying standard for the Olympic Games in his sport.

Author: by Nanama Keita

Youth of the week

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 06:22:14 GMT

Friday, July 25, 2008

Name: Musa Dem

DOB: 18th July 1979

Organization: Dems Trading

Position: Proprietor and manger

Educational Background: Muslim Junior and Senior Secondary School (1993 to 1999, Business Training Centre (2003), ITS (2006)

Qualification: WASSSC, IT ADVANCE LEVEL, A+ Certificate, Networking+

Gambian Personality: Alhajie Ismaila Dem (father and Imam of Dongoroba Village, LRR)

Ambition: To establish my business to international level

Hobbies: Sport, reading news and watching football

Advice to youth: After graduating we should not wait for government to provide us with job, we should try and engage in every meaningful development like self employment as the president has made the environment very conducive for us, the youths.

Dislike: Lies and laziness

Reason behind success: Hard work and patient.

Author: DO

Sere kunda West Nawettan Qualification Round Kicks Off As 32 Teams Register

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 06:19:41 GMT

Wednesday, July 02, 2008

Being the most popular tournament organised by almost all regions in The Gambia during the summer, Nawettan is taking center stage in various organising committees and among the most recent is the Sere kunda West Sports Committee .

The 2008 Nawettan of the Serrekunda West has started with its traditional qualifying round which kicked off yesterday with 32 teams vying for a place in this years tournament.

The Sectary General of (SWESO), Pa Sulay Jobe, told Pointsports that, “We have registered 32 teams for the qualification rounds these teams will be playing in a knock out stage. The best four teams will be meeting with last year’s four teams that were relegated from the Nawettan proper.”

He said Dippa Kunda United, Sankung Sillah, Manjai United and SK Central will be waiting for the first four teams that will emerge victorious from the 32 participating teams in the qualifying round. They will then take part in a playoff match in which only four teams will qualify for the Nawettan competition.

Author: By Ebou Manneh

Source: Picture: Kainfing United FC

Better Prospects For Gambia’s Qualification As CAF Introduce New System

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 07:52:51 GMT

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Following the tricky formula for determining the best loser introduced by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) for the 2010 World and African Cup of nation qualifiers, the Scorpions of The Gambia seem to have a better prospect of qualification, if they win with goals when they host Liberia in Banjul in September 2008, and both Senegal and Algeria fail in their games in Algeria. Both teams need to win to secure their qualification to the next stage.

According to the CAF web-side, the 12 group winners in the first group phase and the eight best runners-up will advance to the second stage. A fair amount of mathematics will be required to discover those best runners-up, one of the 12 groups has only three teams, and CAF wants to give the runners-up in that group a fair chance of qualifying.

So rather than simply looking at points gained and goals difference to determine the best second placed teams a re-calculation will take place, while the runners up in group 11 which has three teams will have their statistics unchanged.

But in the other groups, the points and goal difference that the second placed teams have against the fourth placed team will be erased. The new total will then be used to determine the eight best runners-up using points gained, goal differences and goals scored.

CAF says that a play-off match will take place in November should there be a tie for the eight best runners-up spot.

The Gambia are in group 6 with Senegal, Algeria and Liberia. Senegal lead the group with 8 points, Algeria 6 points, The Gambia 5 points while Liberia have only 2point with four games played and only 2 games to go.

The game between Senegal and Algeria is a game of do or die, as both teams need to win to secure their qualification. Gambia needs to beat Liberia with goals to make sure goal difference will count. If The Gambia’s group falls among the best runners up group then we most win at home against Liberia and make sure we have a better goal difference than both Senegal and Algeria if both teams fail to win in their encounter, in Algeria.

If The Gambia wins it will give them 8 points, while Senegal needs a win or a point to remain on top. A draw will give them 9 points and a win will give them 11 points. Algeria need to win at home to see them on top with 9 points. If they fail to win against Senegal it will give The Gambia the chance to move into second position with 1 point difference if they draw with Senegal.

Author: By Ebou Manneh

Source: Picture: Scorpions

Algeria, Here We Come!

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 06:16:54 GMT

Thursday, June 19, 2008

The Scorpions are heroes with a mission. Their mission is to capture three points from the Fennecs of Algeria or at the very worst secure one point. It is only by doing so that Gambian hopes of qualification for the World and African Cup of Nations can be kept alive. So far the Scorpions share the top of the table with Senegal as both teams have five points. The Scorpions have drawn 1-1 with Liberia, 0-0 with Senegal and defeated Algeria by 1-0 in Banjul. Algeria are in third position with three points and Liberia are in fourth with two points. As Coach Paul Put has advised, we should take this qualification campaign one game at a time. Our last match was played in Banjul against Algeria and was a success as the Scorpions maintained solid passing and controlled the game throughout the match. There are many fans however who believe that the boys could have netted a few more goals.

Be that as it may, that Algeria game is behind us now. The next encounter is again against Algeria but this time it is in Algiers. Although many fans will not be there to give support it is still hoped that the boys will tighten their belts, seize their goal-scoring opportunities and come home with a victory.

This is a legitimate hope on the part of the Gambian public. The team must realise their position in the race for qualification. The team may have received one or two knocks during the last match but are relatively free of injuries. Coach Put and his assistants are looking very sharp at the moment and are pushing the team technically as well as psychologically. We therefore wish the team a very successful game in Algiers. We advise the team to banish from their minds any fear of “terrorist threats”, especially seeing that the GFA has informed FIFA and the CAF of those filthy threats.

The Gambian media are commended for their efforts to speak with the boys and their accompanying officials, and are further encouraged to transmit relevant information and support from the fans at home.

As we are all probably aware, this weekend will reveal the overall standings of the teams prior to their taking a short break until September. The Gambia will in September end the present series by hosting Liberia here at home and playing away to Senegal.Final fixtures for the teams are :

Week-End of 5th-7thSeptember –

GAM Vs LIBERIA ( in Banjul)

ALGERIA Vs SENEGAL (in Algeria)

Week- End of 10thto 12thOctober

LIBERIA Vs ALGERIA (in Liberia)

SENEGAL Vs GAMBIA(in Senegal)