The Gambia local-based team has started training for their 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers at home to South Africa in June 2016, at the Independence Stadium in Bakau.
Coach Sang Ndong and his charges will use the training sessions at the FIFA Goal Project in Old Yundum, to prepare themselves physically and morally for their crucial 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against the South Africa next month.
The Gambia need to beat South African in June 2016, in Banjul to keep their dreams of qualifying for their first-ever Africa Cup of Nations to be hosted in Gabon.
The Scorpions were held to a goalless draw by Bafana Bafana in the opening day of the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers in June 2015, in Durban, before losing to Cameroon 1-0 in Banjul and 2-1 to Mauritania 25 March 2016 in Nouakchott, before their goalless draw with Mauritania in the revised fixtures in Banjul on 29 March 2016.
The Gambia are rock bottom in group M of the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers with only 2 points in four games after their goalless draw with South Africa, in Durban, before losing to Cameroon and Mauritania 1-0 and 2-1 in Banjul and Nouakchott in September and March.
South Africans are second place from bottom in group M of the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers with 3 points in four games after drawing goalless with The Gambia in June 2015, before losing to Mauritania 3-1 in Durban in September 2015, following their 3-3 and 0-0 draws against Cameroon in Yaounde and South Africa in Durban in March 2016.
South Africa, on the other hand, also need to beat The Gambia in order to fancy their chances of qualifying for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations.
Cameroon are currently topping group M of the 2017 Africa Cup Nations qualifiers with 8 points in four games following their 1-0 win over Mauritania and The Gambia in Yaounde and Banjul before their 3-3 and goalless draws against Cameroon and South Africa in Yaounde and Durban.
Mauritania are second spot in group M of the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers with 7 points in four games after losing to Cameroon 1-0 in Yaounde in June, and bounced back in contention for qualification to the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations following their resounding 3-1 win over South Africa in Nouakchott in September 2015 and 2-1 win over the Gambia in Nouakchott on 25 March before their goalless draw in the revised fixtures on 29 March 2016, in Banjul.
The local-based players currently training with coach Sang Ndong are Musa Yaffa - Hawks, Mass Manga - Hawks, Lamin Chatty - Hawks, Christopher Allen - GPA, Matarr Ceesay - GPA, Girigori Sambou -GPA, Mamadi Ngum - Samger, Bakary Njie -Wallidan, Malang Faye - Wallidan, Pa Dodou Darboe - Steve Biko, Nuha Barrow - Gamtel, ModouSarr, Emil Sambou - GAF, Musa Jatta - Brikama United, Sainey Sambou - Brikama United, Alagie Bah - Real De Banjul and Bully Drammeh - Real De Banjul, Ebou Kanteh-Real De Banjul.
