#Sports

Gambia U-20 set to start preparations for Afcon championship in Mauritania

Jan 8, 2021, 1:11 PM | Article By: Arfang M.S. Camara

The Gambia national Under-20 team is set to start its preparation for the upcoming African Under-20 championship to be held next month in Nouakchott, Mauritania.

The Gambian side booked their place to next month’s tournament after their triumphant during the recent WAFU Zone A tournament held in Thies, Senegal.

The U-20 team under the leadership of Coach Matarr Mboge is set to commence intensive training at that Technical Centre this week.

Coach Matarr Mboge who already won two WAFU titles will be looking forward to replicate late Peter Bonu Johnson fist in the 2007 edition in Congo Brazzaville. Mboge would be aiming to qualify The Gambia to the World Series later this year in Indonesia.

Meanwhile, according to the Standard, the 2021 Africa U-20 Cup of Nations, will take place from February 14 to March 4 and will be the 16th edition of the Africa U-20 Cup of Nations (23nd edition if tournaments without hosts are included).

The biennial international youth football tournament is organized by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) for players aged 20 and below.

In September 2018, it was decided that the tournament would be hosted by Mauritania. It will be the first edition in Africa U-20 Cup of Nations to be expanded to 12 teams instead of eight. 

The top four teams of the tournament will qualify for the 2021 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Indonesia as CAF representatives. Mali is the defending champions.

The qualifiers are now completed around various zones in Africa and the following nations have qualified: Mauritania (host), Morroco, Tunisia, The Gambia, Ghana, Burikana Faso, Uganda, Tanzania, Central African Republic, Cameroon, Namibia and Mozambique.