With three weeks before the U-20 Africa Cup of Nations Mauritania 2021 to get underway, Gambia’s Young Scorpions are gearing up for the much awaited championship with determination to go for glory.
The Young Scorpions started preparations in mid October with intensive training at the National Technical Training Center (NTTC) in Yundum and it paid off as they won the WAFU A championship in Senegal in November to book a place in the African Championship.
With a squad made up off first and second division players, Matarr M’Boge’s charges played 11 test matches with domestic Gambian clubs and remained unbeaten with the team scoring a record 30 goals. The time spent together ensured M’Boge mentored his charges to be disciplined, hard working and determined coupled with a never die attitude which won them the championship in the deciding game against the hosts despite a heavy loss to the same opposition in their opening match.
With a place at the World Youth Championship, Indonesia 2021 at stake, the Young Scorpions have since regrouped and continuous to undergo high performance trainings at the NTTC as well as playing pre-tournament test matches against Gambian league sides. The group stage draw for the African championship will take place on Monday 25th January, in Nouakchott where Gambia will be joined by 11 other African sides in the hat.
Pundits are suggesting that 2021 would perhaps be the greatest year for The Gambia since the formative years of association football in the country in 1953 as all eyes are glued in anticipation for a possible place in Cameroon 2022 AFCON for the senior team while the U-17 is also preparing to participate in the WAFU A competition in Sierra Leone.