Binewa Team profile: Gambia at the TotalEnergies AFCON 2023
Gambia will be taking part in its second TotalEnergies AFCON after having made her debut in 2021.
Football is by far the most popular sport, loved by Gambians of all ages. The country’s success has been imminent in recent times in all categories (2023 U20 AFCON-runners up).
In the last few years, football in Gambia has experienced a considerable rise in quality and popularity in Africa, especially with the increase of talents in the country.
The journey
In August 1975, The Gambia entered their first qualification for the African Cup of Nations, with the aim of reaching the 1976 finals in Ethiopia. They were drawn in a two-legged qualifier against Morocco and lost the first leg 3–0 away on August 10. Gambia lost by the same score in their home leg on August 24 and Morocco advanced 6–0 on aggregate.
On May 2014, the Gambia was banned from all CAF competitions for two years after deliberately falsifying players’ ages.
All changed in 2021. On 25 March 2021, Gambia inked their name in the history books of African football when they became the 44th nation and the last from West Africa to qualify for the TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations.
The Gambia also known as “the smiling coast of Africa” confirmed their place at the TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations, Cameroon 2021 following a 1-0 victory over Angola in the penultimate round of qualifying.
Gambia then ended second (on goals difference) in group F of 2021 finals made up of Mauritania, Tunisia and Mali.
Ablie Jallow knocked home at the 10th minute for the win against Mauritania, before Musa Barrow’s 90th minute penalty helped Gambia to a point against Mali.
In the last game of group F, Ablie Jallow scored as the Scorpions went on to beat Tunisia 1-0.
Musa Barrow stroke his second of the competition at the round of 16s to see off a solid Guinea side. Just like that, Gambia was in the quater-finals of the AFCON as debutants. However, hosts Cameroon knocked the Gambia out in the quater-finals courtesy goals from Ekambi Karl and Vincent Aboubakar.
AFCON Path
Group G of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualification tournament was one of the twelve groups that decided the teams which qualified for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations finals tournament. The group consisted of four teams: Mali, Congo, Gambia and South Sudan (the latter two both winners of the preliminary round).
The teams played against each other in a home-and-away round-robin format, between 4 June 2022 and 10 September 2023.
Mali and Gambia, the group winners and runners-up respectively, qualified for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.
Gambia started the 2023 AFCON qualifiers campaign with a win over familiar foes South Sudan. The lone goal coming from Ablie Jallow.
A defeat on game day 2 to the Congo republic – was followed by another defeat to Mali. The Gambia bounced back in the reversed fixture against Mali, to defeat the Eagles 1-0 via Omar Colley’s effort.
Ablie Jallow, Angier and Barry were all on target as Gambia sealed a 3-2 win against South Sudan on game day 5.
A 2-all draw against Congo republic on game day 6 clinched second place in group G of the qualifiers.
Results of the qualifiers
Game day 1
Gambia 1–0 South Sudan
A. Jallow
Game day 2
Congo 1–0 Gambia
Makoumbou 74′
Game day 3
Mali 2–0 Gambia
K. Doumbia 3′
A. Traoré 90+5′
Game day 4
Gambia 1–0 Mali
O. Colley 79′
Game day 5
South Sudan 2–3 Gambia
Yuel 21′
P. Chol 90+1’//
Angier 4′ (o.g.)
A. Jallow 62′
Barry 90+6′
Game day 6
20:00 UTC+1
Gambia 2–2 Congo
Minteh 79′
Badamosi 90’//
Makouta 30′
Ganvoula 45+1′ (pen.)
Group G standings after qualifiers
Mali 15 pts
Gambia 10 pts
Congo 7 pts
South Sudan 3 pts
Star players Gambia
Despite not having loads of striking names on their roster, the Gambia grossly believe in team ethics and a few players with god given ability.
Assan Ceesay
29 year old Assan Ceesay has scored some important goals for the Gambia over the years (13 in 36 senior appearances). The forward who plays his club football for Damac FC is blessed with pace and can convert from tight angles.
Musa Barrow
Musa Barrow, 25, is an immense talent who has showed glimpses of how good a player he is – in the Serie A, and now, the Saudi Pro. League. Musa Barrow has scored 4 goals in 14 appearances for club side Al Taawoun this term. Musa Barrow can play either as a second striker or an out-and-out traditional number 9. He was part of the Gambia squad that made history in the 2021 AFCON.
Ablie Jallow
Midfeilder cum winger, Ablie Jallow was the Gambia’s top scorer in qualifications with 2 goals to his credit. Jallow picks up quite interesting positions on the field and looks to feed his strike partners or score himself.
Omar Colley
Omar Colley scored the lone goal in the reversed fixture against Mali, which solidified Gambia’s position in the second spot in the qualifications. Colley, now of Besiktas, is a proven goal scorer. He has scored 6 times in 20 appearances for Besiktas.
Coach
Gambia national team head coach – Tom Saintfiet, has done a wonderful job with the team so far. The Belgian tactician has worked in Africa, as national team head – coach for Namibia, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, Malawi and Togo.
Saintfiet is yet to win a major tourney worth note on the continent but his steady rise with Namibia in the FIFA rankings and making the quarter-finals of the 2021 AFCON has proven massive improvement.
2023 AFCON group
The Gambia is placed in a difficult group C that consists of; Cameroon, Senegal and Guinea.
The ‘Scorpions’ will begin their campaign against holders Senegal at the Stade Charles Konan Banny de Yamoussoukro on January 15.
Guinea will then square up against Tom Saintfliet’s men on January 19, before a rip-roaring game against Cameroon to close group C.
