Young Scorpions Coach Matarr M’Boge today confirmed his final list of players for the Total U-20 African Cup of Nations which got underway in Mauritania on Sunday.
The major absentee in the Gambian side is Captain Jamez Gomez who missed out on the tournament after sustaining a hamstring injury while playing for his Danish club. The team, in his absence, will be captained by Tijan Marr of Fortune.
Bologna’s Musa Juwara and Ebrima Darboe of AS Roma were refused permission by their Italian Serie A sides to feature in the competition and thus, they were also excluded from the cut of 28 players. However, the core of the squad from the WAFU winning team is in place.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) allows 21 players for the tournament but there is a provision to register 10 standby players owing to emergency situations that could be created by the Covid19 pandemic. As a result, M’Boge has registered a list of 29 players with two extra players on the standby list.
There are also special regulations as a youth tournament which allows a maximum of five substitutions from three opportunities excluding half-time. M’Boge is confident that the selected players will do a decent job at the tournament.
“The fact that we qualified from such a tough zone and under very difficult circumstances is a real credit to the players and staff,” M’Boge said. “It’s a shame to lose James but we have been working on finding suitable replacements and we feel we have them in place. Injuries are part of football so we always believe in the strength of the squad overall and that competition for places is extremely tough. That’s what coaches always want, we need to have selection headaches, because that means that the quality is there.”
The Young Scorpions are making their first appearance in the tournament in 10 years and will open their account on Tuesday 16th February against Morocco at the Stade de Nouadhibou with kick-off at 7pm.
Below is the final list of players:
1 Lamin SAIDY, Real de Banjul (vice-captain)
2 Ba Lamin SOWE, Waa Banjul
3 Fredina JATTA, Academy Diaguéne (Senegal)
4 Adama KANTEH, Latrikunda United
5 Lamin JAWARA, Hawks
6 Baba CEESAY, Banjul United
7 Habibou MENDY, Brikama United
8 Tijan MARR, Fortune (Captain)
9 Momodou BOJANG, Brikama United
10 Kajally DRAMMEH, Real de Banjul
11 Alieu BARRY, Elite United
12 Modou MANNEH, Real de Banjul
13 Alagie SAINE, Falcons
14 Lamarana JALLOW, Elite United
15 Momodou Salieu JALLOW, Waa Banjul
16 Bakary JAWARA, Fortune
17 Alagie KUJABI, Team Rhino
18 Pa Ebou DAMPHA, Waa Banjul
19 Alagie GIBBA, Wallidan
20 Wally FOFANA, BK Milan
21 Ebou CAMARA, Waa Banjul
22 Alagie SAHO, BK Milan
23 Mass NJIE, Hawks
24 Tali JALLOW, MK Dons (England)
25 Edrissa CEESAY, Cayor Foot (Senegal)
26 Musa JUWARA, Bologna (Italy)
27 Mustapha JAH, Real de Banjul
28 Ethan BOJANG, Doncaster Rovers (England)
29 *Malick LOWE, FC Volendam (The Netherlands)
30 *Yankuba SABALLY, Fortune
31 Serine SANNEH, West Ham United (England)
NOTE: * Represents standby players