Gamtel exit Confederation Cup after loss to CS Sfaxien

Gamtel waves goodbye to Confederation Cup

Gambia’s only representative in a CAF Club Competition, Gamtel, have crashed out of the CAF Confederation Cup round of 32 tie after losing at home to Tunisian Ligue Professionnelle 1 side Club Sportif Sfaxien.

Rampant CS Sfaxien strolled to the second round of the qualifiers after a convincing 3-1 win against Gamtel, winning 7-3 on aggregate against the ‘Telecommunication boys’ at the Brikama Box-bar mini stadium on Saturday.

Gamtel got to this stage of the continental competition by outclassing Senegalese club Association Sportive et Culturelle HLM in the preliminary round 5-2 on aggregate but were also booted out at this stage of the competition the last time by Malian Premiere Division club AS Real Bamako.

The visitors opened the scoring as early as in the 22nd minute through Ferjani Sassi, who met Bassem Boulaabi’s free-kick with a simple tap in past Gamtel goalkeeper Musa Camara to put the ‘Juventus Al Arab’ in the driving seat.

But it didn’t take long for Gamtel to strike back three minutes later through Hamang Conteh. Dodou Suso overlapped down the left-wing to power in a low cross which put goalkeeper Hamdi Kasraoui under pressure but managed to block the ball which Hamang Conteh pounced on for a rebound after a poor clearance from the Sfaxien defence duo of Ali Maaloul and Bassem Boulaabi.

Gamtel had some chances in the second half but failed to capitalise on any and were punished again in the 81st minute when CS Sfaxien took the lead again. The two-time CAF Confederation Cup champions raced into the lead again through Mohamed Ali Moncer who slotted in from close range.

Second-half substitute, Taha Yassine Khenissi put the icing on the cake by netting in the third goal for Sfaxien in the 90th minute after a scramble at the Gamtel goal.

CS Sfaxien will now either face CSMD Diables Noirs of Congo or The Panthers FC of Equatorial Guinea in the second round of the qualifiers.