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Gambia U-17 Gears Up for Africa U-17 Youth Championship

Apr 29, 2014, 9:55 AM | Article By: Lamin Darboe

The Gambia U-17 football team has started intensive training ahead of the 2015 Africa U-17 Youth Championship qualifiers against Guinea Conakry in June 2014, at the FIFA goal project in Old Yundum.

The Gambia U-17 team will use the training session to prepare themselves physically for the 2015 qualifiers away to Guinea Conakry U-17 in Conakry and Banjul respectively in June 2014.

The Gambia made their debut in Africa U-17 Youth Championship in 2003, hosted in Swaziland, under the guidance of head coach Pa Suwareh Faye after beating Zambia U-17 1-0 on aggregate in the qualifiers played in Lusaka, Zambia, but were eliminated in the group stage.

The Gambia U-17 made their second appearance in the Africa U-17 Youth Championship, when they hosted the championship in 2005 and won it, after beating Ghana U-17 1-0 in a well-contested final game played at the Independence Stadium in Bakau.

However, they failed to reach the qualifiers for the 2007 Africa U-17 Youth Championship in Burkina Faso, after losing to Senegal in the qualifiers.

The Gambia made their third appearance in the Africa U-17 Youth Championship in 2009, hosted in Algeria, after beating Ghana U-17 team in the qualifiers, and won the championship after beating the host nation Algeria U-17 team 3-1 in the final.

The Gambia made their debut in the FIFA U-17 World Cup in 2005, hosted in Peru where they thrashed Brazil U-17 team 3-1 in the opening game, with goals from Abdoulie Kenny Mansally, Momodou Ceesay and Ousman Jallow. However, they were eliminated in the group stage after losing to Holland 2-0.

The Gambia made their FIFA U-17 World Cup in 2009, but were eliminated in the group stage after a dismal performance.