Morale high in Scorpions camp

Gambia’s Belgian coach, Paul Put, has told Observer Sports that morale at the Scorpions camp at the Seaview Hotel is extremely high, as they prepare for the crucial World Cup and African Nations Cup qualifier match againts Liberia at the Independence Stadium on Saturday, at 16:30 hours.

"All the players are in high spirits and going about their training schedules with much more attention. They really are very confident for victory on Saturday", Paul Put told Observer Sports yesterday.

Put will be without the services of some key players including the England based striker Edrissa Sonko and Finland export Dawda Bah, and the European has admitted this was a blow.

“You can always count on experienced players like Edrissa Sonko and Dawda Bah. So it is a blow that they are not with us. Nonetheless I have confidence in the players who are presently in camp and I know they will prove their worth,” he said.

He added that the players are aware of the big task ahead of them in their encounter against the Lone Stars, adding "they take this match as 'the mother of all battles' since a win will enhance their battle readiness for the final onslaught to progress to the next stage of the qualifiers".

The European coach, however, appealed to all and sundry to ask for God's guidance for the players in their determination to qualify for their first-ever World Cup and Nations Cup finals.

 "Gambians must troop in their numbers to the stadium to cheer our boys to victory on Saturday", he concluded.

The Scorpions are looking to beat Lone Star tomorrow and then avoid defeat away to Senegal in the final round of matches in October to stand a chance of progressing to the next stage of the qualifiers.

Group leaders Senegal will qualify if they win in Blida on Saturday against second-placed Algeria.