The young Scorpions were beaten 5-1 by host Senegal in their opening West African Football Union (WAFU) Under-20 tournament played in Thies on Sunday.
The Senegalese side opened their scoring through Samba Diallo in the 4th minutes of the game. Captain Dion Lopy converted two of their three penalties awarded during the match to make it 3-1.
Mohammed Ba and Ahmed Mandefu wrapped up the goal scoring festival for Senegal’s U-20 team, while Momodou Bojang scored Gambian only goal after converting a penalty in the 45th minute of the first half.
“The boys played very well to come back in to the game despite being a man down.”
He added that his boys did very well to come back in the game but were mentally quite fragile.
“I don’t think too many teams in the world of football can come back from a man down with a 4-1 score line,” he said.
He added that they will analyze their defeat against Senegal and assured of his players’ readiness to learn their lessons ahead of their next encounter against Sierra Leone.
“The pressure is on us now because we know that the Sierra Leoneans need a draw to qualify. We know only a win can make us qualify to the next stage of the tournament. So in terms of our normal football, we play fruitful football, dominate possession, play forward football and try to stick to what we know best,” he said.
He further stated that they have to be a lot more discipline with their tactics against the young Leone Stars.
Meanwhile, only the winner of the West Zone A tournament will directly qualify for the CAN U20 tournament scheduled for Mauritania in 2021.
