Scorpions Head Coach Tom Saintfiet has named a squad of 23 players ahead of the upcoming FIFA WC 2022 qualifiers double-header against Angola.
The Gambia will face the Palancas Negras at the Independence Stadium in Bakau on Friday 6th September at 5pm, with the return leg taking place four days later at the Estadio 11 do Novembro in Luanda, Angola on Tuesday 10th September at 4pm local time (3pm in The Gambia).
“On the basis of the results we have achieved recently, the reference point for this group has allowed us to maintain a strong, core group of players, with a good blend of experience and youth,” Saintfiet outlined. “We are also able to bring in a couple of new players into the squad who we feel have the potential to make an impact and add quality to what we already have.”
GOALKEEPERS: Modou Jobe (Jeddah FC, Saudi Arabia), Alagie Nyabally (GPA FC, The Gambia), Sheikh Sibi (Virtus Verona, Italy)
DEFENDERS: Sulayman Bojang (Kongsvinger, Norway), Omar Colley (Sampdoria, Italy), Mamadou Danso (unattached), Pa Modou Jagne (unattached), Simon Richter (Brønshøj BK, Denmark), Mohammed Mbye (Mjällby, Sweden), Ibou Touray (Salford City, England), Bubacarr Sanneh (Göztepe, Turkey)
MIDFIELDERS: Ebou Adams (Forest Green Rovers, England), Ebrima Colley (Atalanta, Italy), Dawda Ngum (FC Roskilde, Denmark), Bun Sanneh (Génération Foot, Senegal), Ebrima Sohna (unattached), Sheriff Sinyan (Lillestrøm, Norway)
FORWARDS: Musa Barrow (Atalanta, Italy), Assan Ceesay (FC Zürich, Switzerland), Lamin Jallow (Salernitana, Italy), Bubacarr Jobe (Mjällby, Sweden), Nuha Marong (Racing Santander, Spain), Yusupha Njie (Boavista, Portugal)
STRONG FOUNDATIONS BUILT
The squad features 16 players from the previous camp held in Morocco, where the Scorpions were able to claim 1-0 wins against both Guinea and their hosts Morocco as part of their respective preparations for the 2019 AFCON.
Ebrima Sohna against Guinea and Musa Barrow against Morocco, wrote their names on the score-sheet whilst Modou Jobe was able to claim two clean-sheets with his last minute penalty against the Moroccans signing off a great camp for the Scorpions.
The Norway-based duo of Sulayman Bojang and Sheriff Sinyan retain their places in the squad having impressed whilst in Morocco, which was their first respective outings for the Scorpions.
Under the guidance of the Belgian tactician, the Scorpions have recorded 3 wins, 3 draws and 1 defeat with a total of 8 goals scored and 5 conceded across 7 matches.
RETURNING SCORPIONS
The squad is set to welcome the return of stellar performers in the shape of Assan Ceesay and Lamin Jallow, who missed recent games through a combination of suspension and injuries. The reliable and solid Simon Richter also makes a return alongside another full-back in Ibou Touray, who is still basking in the glory of scoring a goal in Wembley Play-off Final. Yusupha Njie is also expected to feature having successfully recovered from long-term injury and will be hoping to stake his claim for a place in the impressive Scorpions forward line.
CORE GROUP OF EXPERIENCED PLAYERS
Scorpions fans will no doubt relish the opportunity to see Omar Colley in action, as the Serie A defender is expected to play his first match at home since March 2018. Omar is counted amongst the more experienced Scorpions in the squad alongside captain Pa Modou Jagne, Ebrima Sohna, Mamadou Danso, Modou Jobe and Bubacarr Sanneh who all form an effective leadership group in Saintfiet’s dressing room.
YOUTHFUL ADDITIONS
Former U-20 midfieder Bun Sanneh has been rewarded with a place in the final squad following his consistent and impressive displays in Senegal and in Africa’s top club competition, the Total CAF Champions’ League. Bun was last called up for the Scorpions for a chance to train and learn from their Senior counterparts in March 2018 with a group of other U-20 players which also included Ebrima Colley. Bun and Ebrima provide the youthful zeal as the two youngest members of the squad.
SELECTION HEADACHE
“This has been one of the hardest selections we have had to make,” Saintfiet explained. “When I think about the great players we have worked with and who have made a positive impression on us, it’s tough that they are not here but unfortunately we can only select 23 players.”
SCORPIONS SQUAD NOTES
As of 2nd September, the squad will have an average age of 26 years.
All twenty-three players have been selected for previous Scorpions matches and training camps.
Of the twenty-three, only Sheikh Sibi and Bun Sanneh are yet to make their debuts and are eagerly awaiting their first Senior caps although Bun has 8 caps at U-20 level with the Young Scorpions.
The majority of the squad ply their trade in Italy, with 5 players selected competing in the top three levels of Italian football (Serie A, Serie B and Serie C).
Pa Modou Jagne (30 caps), Mamadou Danso (15 caps) and Ebrima Sohna (25 caps) are currently without a club, however they can count on 70 caps worth of international football between them.
The squad contains 11 players who represented the Scorpions in coach Tom Saintfiet’s first ever game against Algeria in September 2018.
Dawda Ngum will be celebrating his birthday as he reports to camp, he turns 29 on Monday 2nd September.
The evergreen Mamadou Danso at aged 36 is the oldest member of the Scorpions squad with Ebrima Colley, aged 19, the youngest.
Modou Jobe is the most used player under Saintfiet, having clocked the full 630 minutes across all 7 games under the Belgian. Currently he averages conceding a goal every 126 minutes, with a 100% penalty saving record.
Yusupha Njie returns to the Scorpions for the first time since the 0-1 defeat against Benin in June 2017. The 25-year-old forward opened the scoring on the opening day of the season for his club Boavista in their 2-1 win over Desportivo Aves in the Portuguese top flight on 11th August. Yusupha’s club colleague Mateus, aged 35, has been called up to the Angola squad for the qualifying series and was the captain during their last participation in the 2019 AFCON held in Egypt.
Having hit good form for Mjallby in the Swedish Superattan, forward Bubacarr Jobe tops the Scorpions goalscoring chart with 6 goals and 3 assists this season. This follows up the 16 goals and 6 assists he registered for the club when they gained promotion in 2018.
Four players are still eligible for the U-23 Junior Scorpions national team: Musa Barrow, Ebrima Colley, Sheikh Sibi and Bun Sanneh.
Ebrima Sohna is the only player to have previously scored against Angola when he opened the scoring in a 1-1 friendly international match held on 3rd January 2010.
Bakau-born duo Lamin Jallow and Bubacarr Jobe will once again have the chance to play in the vicinity of where they grew up. The last time the duo graced the pitch together Bubacarr assisted Lamin for a goal before going on to claim a goal himself and set up another in the historic 3-1 win over Benin in November 2018.
The Scorpions’ last competitive home game was on 18th November 2018, registering the first official home win in five years after beating Benin 3-1. Lamin Jallow, Bubacarr Jobe and Ablie Jallow responding to the opener from Benin’s Steve Mounie.
OPPOSITION NOTES
The Angola squad features a squad with players from their domestic league, the Girabola ZAP, which ranks amongst the top leagues in Africa. The squad has taken players from two of the biggest clubs, Primeiro de Agosto and Petro de Luanda, both regular participants in CAF inter-club competitions. Bastos is the standout defender, currently playing for Lazio in Seria A. As expected, the majority of their European-based players have been plucked from Portugal, with many players with Angolan roots having been convinced to represent Angola, despite featuring for Portugal at youth level.
Angola have qualified for the World Cup previously, their only time came in 2006 where they finished third in a group containing Portugal, Mexico and Iran. After they opened with a 0-1 defeat against Portugal, they held Mexico to a goalless draw, before drawing 1-1 with Iran in their final group game.
The Palancas Negras (Giant Sable Antelopes) were amongst the teams at the just concluded 2019 AFCON where they finished third in Group E. They opened with a 1-1 draw against Tunisia, Djalma getting the equalising goal. They then finished with a 0-0 draw against Mauritania before losing their last match against Mali 0-1.
They have made a recent coaching change having names Interim Head Coach, Pedro Gonçalves, a Portuguese national, taking over from Serbian Srdan Vasiljevic.
Gonçalves also coaches the youth national teams including U-23, U-20 and U-17, who he guided to a place at the upcoming FIFA U-17 World Cup to be held in Brazil. The U-17s finished third in the U-17 AFCON tournament, which was upgraded to silver following the disqualification of runners-up Guinea for age-cheating.
There is a place for in the squad for 17-year old wonderkid Zito Luvumbo who Gonçalves has worked with at U-17 and U-20 level and this represents his first call-up to the senior national team. He has recently held trials at Manchester United.
During the qualifiers for the 2019 AFCON, in Group I, the Angolans registered four wins over Botswana (1-0 home and away), Mauritania (4-1 at home) and Burkina Faso (2-1 at home). Their two defeats were both away against Burkina Faso (1-3) and Mauritania (0-1).
Veteran striker and captain, Mateus, top scored for the Angolans in their last qualifying match with 4 goals. Gelson Dala, who recently completed a loan move to Turkey, registered 3 goals but is not part of this squad.
They have also qualified for 6 of the last 8 AFCONs with 8 tournament appearances in their history.