Gambia miss quarterfinal place

ElHajj Sey’s men needed to win to have any chance of qualifying for the quarterfinals but could find no way through.

In a goalless first period of few chances, Abdou Darboe had the best effort but saw his free-kick from 25 yards pass the Yarga Dieudone’s goal by a whisker in the 5th minute.

At the other end, Bubacarr Sanyang replacing Ismaila Ngum in goal made good saves to his left to deny Basiru Ouadragou and then Ousman Sinare in the 20th minute.

In the second half, striker Kabba Jobe headed straight at the keeper with a close range effort.

Substitute Buba Sama just failed to convert a free-kick from 20 yards for side netting before the Burkinabe keeper Dieudone easily saved weak efforts from Alagie Bah and Ebou Kanteh.

Landing Darboe and Ismaila Colley were booked for clumsy tackles in frustration which summed up a miserable morning for Armed Forces.

The Gambian vice champions tamely dropped out of African Military Cup without notching a win and a goal in the group.

But the GAF FC camp insists there is still hope following an appeal by Burkina Faso against Kenya who allegedly fielded an ineligible player who presented a false Military ID in the match between the two.And Article 13 of the competition rules clearly stipulates that….and I quote:“Any team that shall be found guilty of fraud on the identity of a player or using a suspended or unqualified player shall lose the match by penalty and shall be completely eliminated from the competition, even if there is no complaint, immediately after the incriminated facts are formally established by the organizing committee.”

Decision on the appeal case is expected on Monday evening. If Kenya are found guilty then they will be knocked out and The Gambia will replace them in the quarterfinals.

This has created anxious moments for the next hours for The Gambia as they await pending decision.

But mathematically as it stands, they have been eliminated from the competition.