The Gambia Senior National team Coach Tom Saintfiet has released his 23-man squad to play Chad in the Africa Cup of Nations 2023 preliminaries.
There was a late withdrawal from the squad as Skeid Fotball defender Sulayman Bojang replaced Ebou Adams.
AmaZulu midfielder Matarr Ceesay has also been called up in the Scorpions squad against Chad.
The former Gambia Armed Forces and Young Scorpions captain has been rewarded for his brilliant debut season with Benni McCarthy’s side.
Ceesay, 22, joined the Usuthu last summer and he has been a regular in Benni’s team featuring in 9 league matches while notching 4 TotalEnergies CAF Champions League appearances.
“Players like Muhammed Sanneh has already proven himself, Matarr Ceesay is doing well, Kalifa Manneh is also doing well playing frequently for Taranto,” Saintfiet told CAFOnline.
Saintfiet has also handed a debut call up to another former youth international Ebrima Jarju.
The 24 year old Paide goalkeeper is one of five players named in the Belgians 23-man squad who did not make the Scorpions AFCON squad.
“Ebrima Jarju is a new face, a new choice to see what he can bring, so it’s a decent squad with Bambalie Sanyang back in the team as well,” Saintfiet added.
Saintfiet has also recalled forwards Kalifa Manneh, Gronoble’s Abdoulie Sanyang and defender Muhammed Sanneh for the double header against Chad.
Ablie Jallow who scored The Gambia’s first ever goal at an AFCON will miss the matches due to the knee injury he suffered against Guinea in the last 16 of the tournament.
Lamin Jallow, Yusupha Njie, Sheikh Sibi, Dawda Ngum and Mohammed Mbye also miss out.
The Scorpions impressed at their first ever TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations earlier this year in Cameroon reaching the quarter finals.
The West Africans will be hoping for another taste of Africa’s flagship tournament when they face Chad in Yaoundé and Agadir for a place in the group stage of the qualifiers.
Chad will host The Gambia in Yaoundé, Cameroon on March 23 before the Scorpions welcome them in Agadir, Morocco six days later.
Squad
Goalkeepers: Baboucarr Gaye (FC Rot-Weiß Koblenz, Germany), Ebrima Jarju (Paide Linnameeskond, Estonia), Modou Jobe (Black Leopards, South Africa)
Defenders: Muhammed Sanneh (FK Pohronie, Slovakia), Omar Colley (Sampdoria, Italy), James Gomez (AC Horsens, Denmark), Noah Sonko Sundberg (Levski Sofia, Bulgaria), Buba Sanneh (SønderjyskE, Denmark), Ibou Touray (Salford, England), Sulayman Bojang (Skeid Fotball, Norway)
Midfielders: Matarr Ceesay (AmaZulu FC, South Africa), Ebrima Darboe (AS Roma, Italy), Yusupha Bobb (Piacenza Calcio 1919, Italy), Sulayman Marreh (KAA Gent, Belgium)
Forwards: Abdoulie Sanyang (Gronoble, France), Kalifa Manneh (Taranto, Italy), Ebrima Colley (Spezia Calcio, Italy), Musa Barrow (Bologna, Italy), Buba Jobe (Norrby IF, Sweden), Steve Trawally (Ajman, UAE), Dembo Darboe (Shakhtyor Soligorsk, Belarus), Assan Ceesay (FC Zurich, Switzerland) Muhammed Badamosi (K.V Kortrijk, Belgium)