By: Foday Manneh
It will not be like any home game, but the Scorpions will still have some supporters clouded in the Gambian colours on the stands as the government airlifted a delegation of 150 people that included the fervent Scorpions supporters to Cameroon.
Many of the travelling supporters have been reacting positively ahead of The Gambia – Mauritania clash on Wednesday afternoon.
To many, their sights only capture a win in the historic tie against Mauritania.
Hadji Kissima Tunkara, a former Gambia U17 and U20 player now a licensed Coach says, Mauritania is one of the understrength sides in this year’s AFCON and he’s hopeful that the Gambia will upset them.
‘’It will be a tight game but the Gambia is going in as favourites to win. Looking at the last eight (8) games of both teams, the Gambia is having a better winning percentage, better defence records with the most established defenders. My prediction is Gambia 1 – 0 Mauritania”, he said.
Another fan, Malick J. Bah said, ‘’I don’t expect any surprise performance, but I will enjoy every game we play with our flag up there. The best level for us will be at the knockout stages of the round of 16 that is if we qualify in the first round.”
For an overhauled Jatta Baldeh, a former U17 champion says Covid-19 could be the only challenge on the Scorpions campaign.
‘’I will rate the team at 65% from the midfield to the strikers is our problem. The coach needs to work on that. I would prefer Ebrima Darboe, Sulayman Marreh, Abdoulie Jallow, and Dawda Ngum in the midfield with Assan Ceesay and Musa Barrow in the forward”, he suggested.
Another Scorpions supporter Papis Kebbeh said this: ‘’The only hope I have for the boys is against Mauritania. I believe if they beat Mauritania, then we would have a better chance to qualify to the next round by getting a draw against Mali or Tunisia.’’
