REVEALED: Tijan Jaiteh rejects Gambia call-up after demanding ticket refund

Tijan Jaiteh dumps Gambia for personal issues

Gambia international midfielder Tijan Jaiteh refused to join the Scorpions team against Ivory Coast after he insisted his air ticket be refunded by authorities, this blog can reveal.

Dispute over refund for an air ticket is the major reason for Tijan Jaiteh’s refusal to join the Scorpion squad for the Ivory Coast duel, it has emerged.

USL Pro club VSI Tampa Bay FC signs Gambian Karamba Janneh

Karamba Janneh

United Soccer Leagues side VSI Tampa Bay FC has announced the signing of Gambian striker Karamba Janneh for the club’s 2013 inaugural season in USL PRO, this blog can exclusively reveal.

Fresh off the back of an outstanding season with Ocala Stampede of the Premier Development League, PDL, 23-year-old Janneh was one of the standout players for the PDL Southeast Division Champions.

Sanna Nyassi returns to club after outing with Gambia

Sanna Nyassi heads back to Montreal

Gambia international Sanna Nyassi has returned to his Major League Soccer club, Montreal Impact, after he did not exactly see the finish that he was hoping for the Scorpions.

Sanna earned his 5th cap for the Scorpions in the team’s 3-0 loss to Ivory Coast, Saturday in Abidjan, playing all 90 minutes in the loss.

Mancini remains positive despite losing to Ivory Coast

Gambia head coach Luciano Mancini

Following Gambia’s loss to the Elephants of Ivory Coast at the Stade Félix Houphouët-Boigny in Abidjan on Saturday, Scorpions coach Luciano Mancini has chosen to remain positive despite the outcome of the result.

“I think that my team put on a good performance. We held Ivory Coast in the first half but in the second [half], the penalty pulled the rug out from under us,” regional-turned Scorpions coach Luciano Mancini stated admitting to the superiority of the Elephants.

‘Fatigue and inexperience costs us,’ Scorpions captain

Captain Abdou Jammeh

Scorpions captain Abdou Jammeh has attributed his team’s defeat to Ivory Coast over the weekend to jetlag and inexperience which he claims cost them the match at the Stade Félix Houphouët-Boigny in Abidjan.

Jammeh said that he and his teammates were tired by the fact that, “travelling from Europe to Niger was very far and there was still fatigue in us which took us time to settle down”.

Scorpions stingless against Elephants

Scorpions of The Gambia

Ivory Coast defeated visiting Gambia 3-0 on Saturday in Abidjan in the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifying to consolidate their lead in Group C with seven points.

The Scorpions of the Gambia, who are still looking for their first victory of the qualifying campaign, kept their hosts goalless throughout the first 45 minutes at the Stade Félix Houphouët-Boigny in Abidjan.

Ivory Coast healing process starts with Gambia, says Gervinho

Gervinho

Arsenal forward Gervinho says Ivory Coast’s healing process after their 2013 Africa Cup of Nations flop starts with Saturday’s 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifier against the Scorpions of Gambia.

Ivory Coast play their first competitive match this Saturday in Abidjan since their Africa Cup quarterfinal exit at the hand of eventual winners Nigeria last February.

Carayol stars as Boro beat Chelsea in U21 clash

Muzzy Carayol

Gambian Mustapha Carayol gave Tony Mowbray a timely reminder of what he can do as he inspired Middlesbrough to a 2-0 Barclays FA Under-21 Premier League win at the Riverside Stadium last night.

Carayol, who has been looking to establish himself since coming back from injury, was the stand-out player. He was one of four first teamers in the line-up against a young Chelsea side.

Copa Barry and Seydou Doumbia to miss Gambia tie

Boubacar Barry not facing Scorpions

Ivory Coast will be without two of their players, striker Seydou Doumbia and goalkeeper Boubacar “Copa” Barry.

The pair have opted out of the game after failing to recover from injuries sustained from their respective clubs.

Doumbia was expected to make his much awaited return after a one-year absence from the team but the CSKA Moscow striker has failed to recover from a knock.

Gambia names squad to face Ivory Coast

Gambia national team

The Gambia has announced its squad expected to face the Elephants of Ivory Coast in a 2014 World Cup qualifier that will take place on the 23rd of March in Abidjan.

The Scorpions left the country yesterday to Ivory Coast via Niger for a four day training camp ahead of the crucial World Cup qualifier against coach Sabri Lamouchi’s side.

Didier Drogba left out against Gambia

Elephants of Ivory Coast

Ivory Coast skipper Didier Drogba has been left out by Elephants coach Sabri Lamouchi ahead of their World Cup qualifier against Gambia, to be played next Saturday in Abidjan.

The reason behind the absence of the former Chelsea and Shanghai Shenhua striker is unknown, and could be related to the slight knee injury Drogba suffered with Galatasaray against Schalke in their UEFA Champions league tie last week.

Gambia improves in FIFA rankings

Scorpions of The Gambia

The Gambia national team, Scorpions, has registered an improvement in the FIFA/Coca Cola World Rankings as per the stats released on Thursday 14 March.

The team has risen one place from the previously occupied number 145 as per the February rankings and is now at number 144 with 176 points.

Gamtel face Sfaxien in CAF Confederation Cup tie

Gamtel Football Club

Gambia FA Cup champions Gamtel, will on Sunday face Tunisian Ligue Professionnelle 1 side Club Sportif Sfaxien in the first leg of the Confederation Cup round of 32 at the Stade Taïeb Mhiri in Sfax.

To get to this stage of the continental competition, the ‘Telecommunication boys’ outclassed Senegalese club Association Sportive et Culturelle HLM in the preliminary round 5-2 on aggregate.

Kenny Mansally suspended by MLS

Abdoulie Mansally

The MLS Disciplinary Committee has suspended Gambia international Abdoulie ‘Kenny’ Mansally one game and fined him an undisclosed amount for violent conduct against DC United on March 9, the league announced.

When Real Salt Lake’s Abdoulie Mansally delivered a Zinedine Zidane-like headbutt to DC United midfielder Perry Kitchen after a scuffle during the clubs’ match last Saturday, it seemed like a matter of time until the MLS Disciplinary Committee weighed in.

Dawda Bah returns to Finland, signs for KuPS

Gambian Dawda Bah

This blog can reveal that Gambia international midfielder Dawda Bah has made a return to Finland by joining Veikkausliiga [top-tier] club, Kuopion Palloseura (KuPS) on a one-year contract.

Dawda Bah was forced to look for a new club after German Bundesliga side FC Augsburg decided in January to terminate his contract, apparently for disciplinary reasons.

Toubabo Jarju nets goal number nine

Mustapha Jarju

Mustapha ‘Toubabo’ Jarju scored his ninth goal of the season in RAEC Mon’s win over Cercle Brugge in the Belgian Jupiler Pro League.

Toubabo inspired the Walloon-based club to an away victory at the Jan Breydelstadion and his attacking partnership with Cameroonian striker Aloys Bertrand Nong reaped dividends as Mons outclassed bottom side Cercle Bruges 3-1.

Norwich City trials Gambian youngster Kemo Darboe

Norwich City trialist Kemo Darboe

English Premier League side Norwich City have handed Gambian teenage striker Kemo Darboe a trial with a view to a possible deal, this blog can exclusively reveal.

The Canaries manager, Chris Hughton, watched Kemo in training with the squad over the past week and, he also watched him in action in the team’s Under-21 clash against Bolton also.

Real de Banjul waves goodbye to Champions League

Real de Banjul exit Champions League despite winning at home

Gambia’s CAF Champions League representatives Real de Banjul are out of the competition despite winning 2-1 at home in the second leg of the preliminary round qualifiers against FUS de Rabat of Morocco on Saturday.

Coming into yesterday’s game, FUS de Rabat held a 1-0 advantage from the first leg, with Mourad Batna’s late penalty goal handing the Moroccans a home victory at the 52,000 capacity Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in mid-February and they knew a goal at the Independence Stadium in Bakau, will make it a mountain to climb for the City Boys.