Young Scorpions Head Coach Mattar Mboge has unveiled his Team list ahead of his National U-20 side facing off Benin in the Total Africa U-20 Africa Cup of Nations Qualifier slated for Sunday May 13th at the Independence Stadium in Bakau.

Mboge was speaking at a Press Conference at the Football House in Kanifing where he similarly unveiled his technical plans for the weekend game. He disclosed that Sadi Gaye, Mattar Badjie and Alagi Sarr who were with the WAFU team in Liberia are been dropped due to lack of fitness and injuries. The trio are been substituted by Bun Sanneh from Generation Foot in Senegal, Ebrima Colley from Italy and Ousman Touray from Germany. ‘ The new inclusions will bring their experience and technical know how’, Mattar said.

‘ We are very happy to see the players involved in more playing time in their clubs and therefore we bring them together as a squad’. Asked about the secret of the team in their oneness to triumph over the rests, Mattar said the spirit shown by the boys is high and confidence reposed on them is genuine. ‘ The team spirit is very high. Its a secret in our team because we are all together and the winning mentality in the boys is also great. So coming back home with the WAFU trophy is a proud moment for all of us’.

Coach Mboge thanked the GFF for the necessary logistics provided for the team and described the U-20 team as a standout side amongst the rest at the WAFU tournament. ‘ I want to also thank the GFF for providing us with almost everything. All we asked for is been provided and that is the kind of motivation and rewards we needed from the GFF and other stakeholders’.

Chairman of Events Management Committee Willy Abraham earlier on congratulated the team for the WAFU title and hailed the Coach as a very serious and dedicated young man. ‘ I was the first club manager to have appointed him at Real De Banjul FC as Coach and i knew him from there’. Willy said the logistics involved in the forthcoming game are nearly complete and hence called on all fans and stakeholders to come out and support the U-20 on Sunday. ‘ We are in the process of Marketing the game so that the Stadium is full to capacity and you know the WAFU trophy has also eased up our work’.

Team captain Basirou Mbye said the boys in a collective approach intend to win both home and away matches. ‘ Our game will be more of attacking power because now we have more attacking players than before. We will leave the WAFU Cup behind us and look ahead to the AfCON Qualifiers’.

GFF General Secretary Lamin M Jassey also congratulated the team and on behalf of the Football Federation said all provisions will further be provided for the team during their campaign. He assured the team of the Football leadership’s unalloyed support to the genuine cause of the team and their winning mentality they pride themselves with.

Meanwhile, the Benin Team who were expected in town on Thursday will now arrive in Banjul on Friday May 11th ahead of the game on Sunday 13th May at 4:30pm.