Gambia U-17 stroll to another friendly win

As the build-up to the African Under 17 Championship intensifies, the Gambia Under 17 team continue to enjoy their training camp campaign in Egypt as they strolled to yet another convincing win in what was their third warm-up win in the North African country.

Goals from Pateh Nyan and forward Alasana Camara helped the Baby Scorpions beat Sham Sporting FC 2-0 yesterday. The victory was Gambia’s third success in three friendly matches. The Gambian team earlier beat a renowned Egyptian club side, Mahaba FC, 5-2 in their first friendly tie before coming out as 1-0 winners against the Egypt Under 20 team on Friday.

The Coach Tarik Siagy tutored side will wrap up their preparatory campaign on Thursday with a clash against Arab Contractors United, before flying to Algeria on March 15 via Morocco for the championship proper, which starts in a one week time. The Gambia, who were the champions in 2005,  have been paired in Group A  alongside hosts, Algeria, familiar opponents, Guinea, and 2003 winners, Cameroon, for the biennial event, which also features first-timers Niger, Malawi, Burkina Faso and Zimbabwe in Group B.

The Gambian team will open their group account with Guinea on March 19, in Zeralda before taking on Cameroon on March 22. The Baby Scorpions will wrap up their group campaign against hosts, Algeria, on March 25. The four semi-finalists from the two-week event will automatically qualify for the 2009 FIFA Under-17 World Cup to be staged in Nigeria later in the same year.