Darling Scorpions eliminated North African giants Morocco in the qualifiers in Rabat on Sunday, before facing Young Silly National in the final round of the continent’s biggest football fiesta qualifiers.
Coach Omar Sise and his charges will use the next one month to prepare themselves fit enough for their crucial first leg clash with fellow West Africans Guinea Conakry on 9 July 2016, in Banjul for a spot in the continent’s biggest football fray to be hosted in Zambia next year.
The Gambia made an astonishing start to the 2017 African U-20 Youth Championship qualifiers campaign following their stunning 4-0 aggregate victory over Sierra Leone in the first round before eliminating Morocco in the second round at the weekend to set date for Guinea Conakry tie.
Guinea Conakry, on the other hand, also made an excellent strike to the 2017 African U-20 Youth Championship qualifiers campaign after their convincing 3-1 aggregate win over Liberia in the first round before eliminating fellow West African Ivory Coast in the second round of the qualifiers on away goal rule at the weekend.
Guinea Conakry will welcome The Gambia in the second leg in Conakry in a fortnight’s time.
The July 9 meeting will be the first-ever between The Gambia and Guinea Conakry in the African U-20 Youth Championship.
It would be recalled that Guinea Conakry thumped The Gambia 2-0 in the first leg of the 2006 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers in Banjul with goals scored by Kabba Diawara and Pascal Fenino, before their 2-2 draw in the second leg in Conakry.
