U-20 intensify preparations for CAF Youth Tourney

The Gambia national U-20 team is currently undergoing intensive preparatory exercises ahead of the Libya finals, with less than two months before the start of the CAF African U-20 Youth Championship in Tripoli, Libya.

The team, under the guidance of local coach Lamin Sarr, have started training at two different venues: Serrekunda East and Brikama Box Bar mini-Stadiums.

The U-20 look set to revive the country's glory at the continental youth tournament following the U-17 team's failure to replicate their success in the youth tournament.

Coach Lamin Sarr, who also guided the 2007 bronze medalists to the qualifying series, said in an interview with our reporter: "My team is not afraid of its opponents in group B that comprises three top African football teams: Nigeria, Cameroon and defending champions Ghana."

He said the team started training four weeks ago as part of their preparations for the Libya championship and have so far won three of their last test matches with some local teams in the country.

"I am really impressed with the performance of my team during training sessions and I am optimistic that they can deliver the good in Libya," said Sarr, who endured a lot of criticisms when he first took charge of the darling Under-20 team.

He disclosed during the interview that he had already got a list of invited foreign-based players "who are expected to link up with the rest of the team and are expected to arrive in Banjul on February 15".

Sarr also revealed to reporters that plans are in the pipeline to organise a two-week training camp for the team, possibly in Tunisia, before the commencement of the tournament. 

He used the opportunity to call on all Gambians to support the team in a bid to raise the standard of youth football at the continental level, once again.