Assan Ceesay opened the scoring for the Scorpions in the 29th minute after a coiling long range from Dawda Ngum in the right flank for the Swiss-based tall striker to exert his following to the ball and eventually roll the ball into the back of the net.
Morocco came from behind to equal the scoring through a spot kick in the 43rd minute after Hawks defender Mass Manga brought down the Moroccan striker just inside the edge of the penalty area. Matters were leveled and the break was called for talk time when the Scorpions resumed to end their day with a win. Assan Ceesay continued his fine form both at club and country and again this time was brought down in the area as he pushed through a congested Moroccan defense to double his country’s lead. Assan converted the spot kick and earned a brace for the Scorpions while Morocco continued their nail biting efforts for an equalizer but Scorpions combative defenders Futty Danso, Bubacarr Sanneh and Mass Manga thwarted all their chances away.
Its the second win in recent times for the Gambia after the Scorpions last face off meeting with the Central African Republic in March at a similar friendly international played in Rabat Morocco where the Gambia won 2-1.
Speaking after the win in Marrakech, Coach SANG NDONG said he is impressed and proud of the players’ performance. Asked about the impact of the training camp on the performance of the team, ‘ the training camp was very successful but thanks to the GFF for the support and inputs exerted in this camp. We should have been in Spain but due to some technical difficulties, the course has been changed and here we are with the bilateral cooperation of the two federations, the camp is available to us’.
It’s the final FIFA break before the resumption of the AFCON Qualifiers in March 2018 and hence its importance, the GFF made all efforts to materialize the camping in Morocco. According to Sang, the most important element in the training camp is ‘the bonding process and eventually the win became the icing on the cake’. He said the national team is open to all Gambia elite players both at national and international level and we will continue to build the team and establish the best approach applicable and that is why today, we have made success, a win is motivational for the boys’.
The game was watched by Gambia’s Ambassador to the Kingdom of Morocco His Excellency Alasana Jammeh and staff of the Gambian Embassy in Rabat.