The Queen Scorpions will play Cameroon in the second and final leg of qualifiers for the 2022 Women’s African Cup of Nations at the Independence Stadium in Bakau on Wednesday.
Mariama Sowe’s side suffered an 8-0 drubbing in the hands of the Indomitable Lionesses at the Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium in Yaoundé on Friday. But despite facing in what seems like an unsurmountable task, the Gambians are talking of rectifying their mistakes in order to consolidate the remarkable strides made in terms of women’s football development in the country in the last few years.
Speaking to the GFF Media, Captain Penda Bah reiterated the team’s commitment to keep fighting for pride. “I still want to tell the country that we need their support, motivation and encouragement. I always talk about this because it’s important, all we have to do is to rectify our mistakes. We’ve learnt a lot already since we came so I think it’s going to be different. We’re going to make a difference and Insha’Allah on Wednesday things will change. It’s not going to be like the first leg,” she assured.
Haleema Hamilton Froiland, who plays in the Swiss women’s super league, made her Gambia debut in the Friday encounter. Born in Norway to a Norwegian father and a Gambian mother, the FC Luzern player echoed similar sentiments and thanked Gambians for their encouragement and support despite the heavy defeat in Cameroon.
“Obviously it was a difficult game [but] we expect to learn a lot from it because there’s very much to improve on. We’ve been preparing very well in training for the second leg here in The Gambia. I think we’re ready to strike back, obviously it’s going to be very difficult [because] Cameroon is one of the best teams in Africa if not in the world,” she affirmed.