ABIDJAN - Factbox on Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers Gambia.
Africa Cup of Nations record
Previous appearances in finals: (1) 2021
Drawn in Group C with Cameroon, Guinea and Senegal.
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Coach: Tom Saintfiet
Journeyman coach from Belgium who has been in charge of 10 different national teams. At the last finals they advanced to the quarter-finals in a stunning run that included wins over Tunisia and Guinea. The 50-year-old is largely unknown in his own country but has worked across the globe with club jobs in the Faroe Islands, Finland, Jordan, Germany, the Netherlands, South Africa and Tanzania. Took over at Gambia in mid-2018, making it one of his longest stints to date.
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Key player: Yankuba Minteh Age: 19. Forward.
The teenager has all the ingredients to emerge as one of the sensations of the tournament in the Ivory Coast, albeit he has made only one appearance for his country. Minteh came on a substitute in Gambia’s decisive qualifier against Congo in September to score and help the small west African country qualify for a second successive tournament. On loan from Newcastle United at Feyenoord, he has also scored in the Champions League this season and been a revelation in the Dutch league.
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FIFA world ranking Dec 2023: 126
How they qualified: Second placed team in Group G, behind Mali but ahead of Congo and South Sudan.
Squad:
Goalkeepers: Baboucarr Gaye (Lokomotiv Sofia), Modou Jobe (Musanze), Lamin Sarr (Eskilsminne)
Defenders: Omar Colley (Besiktas), James Gomez (Sparta Prague), Saidy Janko (Young Boys Berne), Pa Dawda Ngum (Ariana), Jacob Mendy (Wrexham), Bubacarr Sanneh (Zvijerda), Muhammed Sanneh (Banik Ostrava), Noah Sonko-Sundberg (Ludogorets Razgrad), Ibou Touray (Stockport County)
Midfielders: Sanyang Abdoulie (Grenoble), Ebou Adams (Cardiff City), Hamza Barry (Vejle), Yusupha Bobb (Kawkab Marrakech), Ebrima Darboe (LASK Linz), Ablie Jallow (Metz), Sulayman Marreh (Gent), Alasana Manneh (Odense)
Forwards: Muhammed Badamosi (Al Hazem), Musa Barrow (Al Tawoon), Assan Ceesay (Damac), Ebrima Colley (Young Boys Berne), Alieu Fadera (Racing Genk), Yankuba Minteh (Feyenoord Rotterdam), Ali Sowe (Ankaragucu). REUTERS
