The first batch of Scorpions have safely arrived in Algarve, South of Portugal on Monday 5th October, 2020 ahead of the two international friendlies slated for Friday 9th and Tuesday 13th October, 2020 and have begun training session in earnest.
Seventeen (17) players have so far arrived at camp while a few are expected on Tuesday night to complete the squad. Captain Pa Modou Jagne (Nda), defender Bubacarr Sanneh, Forward Assan Ceesay and Boavista teenage sensation Musa Juwara are among the early arrivals that have joined Tom Saintfiet at camp.
The team had its first training session on Tuesday morning with all the players on board assisted by the back room staff under the supervision of the Belgain tactician Coach Tom Saintfiet while GFF 3rd Vice President and Head of delegation Rtd Gen Lang Tombong Tamba also watches from the stands.
GFF General Secretary Lamin M Jassey accompanying the Scorpions as Team Manager described the first training session as successful. ” There is great spirit at camp. The boys are agile, willing to be part of the training and looking forward to the two matches and the Coach has a believe in his boys“, he noted.
The team will be back on a second session in the evening at their Victoria Beach and Sport Hotel complex.
The Gambia will face off Congo (Brazzaville) on Friday 9th October and cap off its second friendly international to Guinea on Tuesday 13th October 2020 to wrap up the ten day training camp in Portugal. Both matches are scheduled to take place at Algarve.
The two warm up matches are meant to avail the Coach assess the new entrants into the Scorpions ranks, oblige to the FIFA friendly windows and as part of technical preparations for the resumption of Qualifiers for the Total Africa Cup of Nations, Cameroon 2022.
The Gambia leads its Afcon Group D Qualification on 4 points behind Gabon, DR Congo and Angola.