Most of Gambia’s foreign-based players invited for the mid-week friendly match against the Democratic Republic of Congo are due in Banjul today as preparations for the highly awaited international game continue to gather pace, The Point can confirm.
The administrator of The Gambia’s senior national team, Bakary L. Dahaba, has told Pointsport that the majority of the country’s foreign-based stars including Mustapha Jarju (Toubabo), Ebrima Sohna, Lamin Bassment Samateh, Pa Modou Jagne, Dawda Bah, Demba Savage and the MLS trio Sainey Nyassi, Sanna Nyassi and Abdoulie Ken Mansally, are all set to arrive in Banjul today, barely two days prior to the friendly.
They will join their compatriot Tijan Jaiteh, who is the first Gambian overseas player to arrive ahead of the match scheduled to take place at the Independence Stadium in Bakau on Wednesday evening.
The rest of the invited foreign-based stars including talismanic forward Momodou Ceesay and strike-partner Njogu Demba are expected tomorrow, says Seedy M.B. Kinteh, president of The Gambia Football Association.
The match is expected to be the first preparatory test for the Belgian tactician Paul Putt since he guided the team to a breathtaking 1-nil win over Gabon thanks to Njogu Demba’s acrobatic second half goal that proved to be the winner.
The Gambia are using the friendly to prepare ahead of the next qualifiers of the African Cup of Nations away to Namibia in early September with Burkina Faso to follow in October in Banjul.
