Following the finalization of Gambia Scorpions’ training camp to Portugal schedule from the 5th to 14th October 2020, the Gambia Football Federation is pleased to announce that it has finalized arrangements with the Congolese Football Association and thus secured a second friendly international for the scorpions to face off with the Red Devils of Congo slated for 9th October 2020 at Algarve, South of Portugal as part of the National Team’s week long training camp.
This means the Gambia will now play the Congo (Brazzaville) on 9th October for the first friendly and four days later with Guinea schedule for 13th October 2020, both matches at Algarve.
Congo (Brazzaville) stands 90th on the FIFA ranking and in Group I on the Afcon Qualifiers where they stand second position on 3 points joint with Guinea Bissau but behind leaders Senegal (6) and Eswatini at the group’s rock bottom.
The Gambia’s second opponents Guinea are (74 on FIFA ranking) and leads its AFCON qualification group with 4 points ahead of Mali, Namibia and Chad while the Gambia is currently 159 on the FIFA ranking and 46 on the continent (latest FIFA ranking) also leading its AFCON qualification group with 4 points ahead of Gabon, DR Congo and Angola.
Scorpions Coach Tom Saintfiet has lineup a 40 man provisional squad that would be trimmed down to a recommended number expected to travel to Portugal for the week long training camp. The Scorpions gaffer in an interview with the federation in house medium disclosed the objective of the training camp as a tool to help bring the base of the team from the Angola/DR Congo games together and to add some new players ahead of the resumption of Qualifiers for the Afcon in November 2020 against Gabon.