U-17 Collects First Win In UK

In what could be described as a poor start to the U.K training camp which has also confirmed two consecutive defeats to the US U-17 team that is also undergoing a preparatory programme ahead of the U-17 World Cup in Nigeria, The Gambia’s U-17 team collected their first victory since leaving the country to undergo an intensive three-week preparatory programme in the build-up to the FIFA U-17 World Cup with an emphatic 2-0 win over Portsmouth Academy on Wednesday.

Two sensational goals from the two time African U-17 champions, according to Seedy Kinteh, the President of the GFA could be a turning moment for the young lads. But he was quick to add that loosing the warm-up games and the real competition are completely two different things.

He told this reporter that the reason of organising the international friendly games for the team is to build a formidable side that will represent the country for the forth-coming FIFA U-17 World Cup finals in Nigeria.

‘We are not in the U.K for competition, but rather we are there to build a team that is why the Coach is using the new players in order to test them before getting them to the real competition,” the GFA Supremo highlighted.

The Coach and his technical staff, Seedy revealed, are working hard so as to prepare the team much better before taking part in any further test match.

Meanwhile, Tarik Siagy, is expected to name his final 21-man squad when the team returned home on 16 October 2009, before proceeding to Nigeria where the championship is scheduled to take place on October 24th 2009.