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Gambia's Chance Has Come - A Senegalese Point of View

Oct 6, 2008, 7:27 AM | Article By: Sainabou Kujabi reporting from Korea

Barely five days remaining to end the growing debate as to Gambia's chances of making it in the 2010 world and African cup of nations qualifiers in Dakar against the Lions of Terenga of Senegal. An analysis from a Senegalese point of view has given the Scorpions the upper hand.

Santi Sene Hagne, Secretary General of the  Senegalese National Sports Olympic Committee  during a chart with  Pointsports at the Just concluded  IOC 6thWorld Forum on Sports, Education and Culture  which took place in South Korea  is of the believed that the game between the two neighbours schedule for the 11thOctober in Dakar will  not be an easy affair.

But having said that, Secretary General Santi Saine was quick to add that the Gambia has a greater chance of making it this time  around.

"Taking a look at the force ,performance of both teams and their level of preparedness, the Gambia's team is on the up as their youthfulness  and determination is a force to be reckoned. Come the game, they can make history by forcing a victory over the Lions of Terenga," he stated.

He backed his statement  with the previous records of both teams when Senegal use to defeated the Gambia both home and away. " the fact that the Gambia is able to contain  Senegal in any game we meet now  as opposed to before is a great sign of the rigorous development of the Gambian football. The Gambia Authorities have done a great job by quickly identifying the development of football at grassroot as the solution to  end the days of the underperformance of  the Senior national team"

"The Gambia have done well especially by being able to produce two world cup teams at youth categories. This could be the Gambia's time," he highlighted.

However, the Senegalese sports icon seized the opportunity to preached peace between the two nations during the game and urged the two peoples not to forget about relationship between the two countries.

The Gambia, Senegal and Algeria are vying for qualification from group six. These three teams are rather face with  difficult circumstances but Algeria who top the group with 9 points has the greatest chance as a minimum performance of  draw can possibly  send them through.

Senegal and the Gambia who both level at eight points each have all what it takes to make it to the next stage.

As the Lions meet the Scorpions in Dakar on October 11, the  Lone Stars will play host to  Algeria in Monrovia the same day.

Despite not being able to make, Lone Stars are determine to put up a respectable performance against Algeria during this game. These words were strongly made by Liberian Head Coach Antoine Hey during his team's shameless defeat in Banjul on September 6th2008.