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.

While in Niamey, the Scorpions will continue to train and be engaged in local practice matches to hone their skills ahead of the Ivory Coast clash and to also acclimatize with the general weather conditions.

The team and delegation will then leave Niamey on 21st March for Abidjan where they will finally settle for the much anticipated World Cup qualifier billed for Saturday 23rd March, 2013 at the Stade Félix Houphouët-Boigny in Abidjan with kickoff time set for 17:00GMT.

The team will consist of a 31-man delegation, 22 of which are players.

Below is the list of officials accompanying the team:

Luciano Mancini, Head coach

Peter Bornu Johnson, Assistant head coach

George Lobba, Goalkeeper coach

Kalifa Manneh, Team doctor

Pa Matarr Ndow, Physio

Sanna Bojang, Kits manager

Modou Sowe, Team administrator

Bakary B Baldeh as Media officer

And below is the list of players expected to face the Elephants:

Goalkeepers:

Christopher Allen (Gambia Ports Authority), Modou Jobe (Real de Banjul), Bubacarr Sanyang (Brikama United)

Defenders:

Mamadou Futty Danso (Portland Timbers in Major League Soccer), Lamin ‘Basmen’ Samateh (NK Lokomotivia Zagreb in Croatia), Pa Modou Jagne (FC St. Gallen in Switzerland), Omar Colley (Kuopion Palloseura, KuPS in Finland), Musa Yaffa (Bakau United) Emmanuel Gomez (Samger), Abdou Jammeh (SC Kazma in Kuwait)

Midfielders:

Demba Savage (HJK Helsinki in Finland), Saihou Gassama (Real Zaragoza B in Spain), Yankuba Ceesay (JK Nõmme Kalju in Estonia), Ebrima Sohna (FC Vostok in Kazakhstan), Abdoulie ‘Kenny’ Mansally (Real Salt Lake in Major League Soccer), Tijan Jaiteh (Sandefjord in Norway), Sulayman Marreh (Samger), Hamza Barry (Gambia Ports Authority), Saloum Faal (Gambia Ports Authority), Modou Jallow (Real de Banjul)

Strikers:

Momodou ‘Zico’ Ceesay (FC Kairat Almaty in Kazakhstan) and Sanna Nyassi (Montreal Impact in Major League Soccer)