March 31, 2016 By Sahr Morris Jr.
Sierra Leone’s Under-20 squad will host their Gambian counterparts in the 2017 African U-20 Youth Championship qualifiers at the Wusum mini stadium in Makeni, northern Sierra Leone, according to Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA) media officer Abu Bakarr Kamara.
Shooting Stars will play the Darling Scorpions on the artificial turf in Makeni, on 2 April in the first leg, before heading to Banjul for the return leg on 23 April.
Kamara said the Wusum stadium was chosen to host the match because it is a junior competition, adding that all preparation and arrangement to have a successful match are being finalised.
This will mark the second U-20 international match the Wusum Stadium will be hosting; the first was the first leg preliminaries qualifiers in April 2014 between Sierra Leone and neighboring Guinea, which ended 1-0 in favour of the host.
In related development, The Gambia squad is expected to jet into Sierra Leone today, 31 March, onboard Royal Air Maroc, with a 30-man delegation which includes 20 players and 10 officials.
Saturday’s match will mark the second meeting between Sierra Leone and Gambia in the U-20 qualifiers. The Gambia booted Sierra Leone out of the 2011 qualifiers, thanks to a 5-1 aggregate win.
The Gambian 30 man delegation includes: Modou Lamin Taal, Baboucarr Ceesay, Lamin Sonko, Hamidou Bojang, Pa Omar Babou, Sainey Bojang, Mbye Faye, Adama Jarju, Yahya Ndong, Yankuba Jallow, Ebrima Jarju, Alagie Sarr, Daniel Mendy, Ebrima Sidibeh, Pa Omar Jobe, Saihou Jatta, Matarr Ceesay, Ebrima Jobe, Bun Sanneh, and Ablie Jallow.
The Technical staff: Omar K. Ceesay, Head Coach; Abdoulie Bojang, Assistant Coach; Abdoulie Jallow, GFF Executive Member; Abdoulie Momodou Kah, Head of Delegation; Pa Suwareh Faye, Assistant Director Sport; Ebrima N. Manneh, Technical Director of GFF; Kalifa Manneh, Team Doctor; Abdoulie Bakary Njie, Goal Keeper Trainer; Pa Matarr Ndow, Team Physio, and Mustapha Kassama, Kits Manager.