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SCORPIONS DISPLAY SPIRITED SECOND-HALF PERFORMANCE BUT STILL LOSE TO IVORY COAST IN WC QUALIFIERS

In a match that showcased their undeniable spirit and tenacity, The Gambia's Scorpions faced off against the formidable AFCON champions, Ivory Coast.Despite their spirited performance, they fell short, succumbing to a solitary goal from Sébastien Haller, which ultimately secured a narrow 1-0 victory for the hosts - Ivory Coast in round six of the 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers. Playing in front of the home crowd at the 33,000 seater Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium, the host who are clearly the favourites in the group, took command in the early stages and made their dominance counted after just 15 minutes when they capitalised on a lacklustre defending by the Gambia as Haller nodded home the breakthrough. From the break, the Scorpions nearly turned the game on its head, as they took the game to the Ivorians and forced the home side's goalkeeper, Yahia Fofana, into making some remarkable saves.Yankuba Minteh, the Gambian international who plays for Brighton and Hove Albion in the English Premier League. He is one of the Gambia's most formidable attackers at the moment. (Picture - GFF)The Scorpions were close enough to snatch a point or even grab all three points as Alieu Fadera, Mahmudu Bajo, and Alasana Jatta were all culprits as they squandered gilt-edge chances.  This loss dealt a significant blow to The Gambia's chances of a first world cup appearance, leaving their hopes of qualification hanging by a thread. Group winners in each of the nine groups will qualify for the World Cup automatically, while the four best second-place teams will battle for a slot in the play-off to determine who advance to the inter confederation play-offs. The Scorpions, who are on four points after six matches, still have four more games to play - against Kenya and Burundi in the September windows and Gabon and Seychelles in the October international break. To stand even the slightest of chances, the Scorpions must win all the remaining four games. Should the Scorpions qualify, that will be the equivalent of winning the World Cup. The talismanic Musa Barrow, who plays for Al-Taawoun in the Saudi Pro League, he was on the back of a brace heading into this game, as he scored twice against Kenya in round five. (Picture - GFF)But the focus is not largely on qualifying as the Northern Irish - Jonathan McKinstry continues his team-building process ahead of the next AFCON and World Cup Qualifiers. Nobody will hold anyone at gunpoint for this defeat, but the team must improve on a few things, especially scoring goals when it matters the most and improving on their defending.While the result may appear disheartening at first glance, the Scorpions' display in the second half was infused with determination and promise. Their improved performance serves as a glimmer of hope, indicating that brighter days could lie ahead, especially with a burgeoning wave of Gambian talent, making strides in professional football.

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YANKUBA MINTEH NOMINATED PREMIER LEAGUE FEBRUARY PLAYER OF THE MONTH

In a remarkable display of talent during February, Yankuba Minteh, the Gambian international, has captivated fans and critics alike with his dynamic performances for Brighton. Scoring two stunning goals and contributing a crucial assist, Minteh’s creativity on the pitch has propelled his team to new heights, earning him a well-deserved nomination for the Premier League Player of the Month.The youngster scored twice against Chelsea in Brighton's 3-0 win before providing an assist for Rutter in Brighton's 4-0 win over Southampton. He wrapped up his February with an impressive performance in Brighton's 2-1 victory over AFC Bournemouth.Minteh will be contesting this award with Mohamed Salah of Liverpool, Beto of Everton, Jean-Philippe Mateta of Crystal Palace, Djed Spence of Tottenham Hotspur and Dominik Szoboszlai of Liverpool.This recognition is monumental for the young star, signalling his potential to become a significant force in the Premier League landscape. Minteh’s blend of skill, speed, and determination is a thrilling prospect for the future. This is remarkable for the 20-year-old youngster in what already looks like the beginning of an illustrious career for the Seagulls threatening attacker.

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MUSA BARROW SHINES BRIGHTLY IN SAUDI PRO LEAGUE

Musa Barrow, the dynamic forward for Al-Taawoun F.C., is steadily making his mark as one of the standout talents in the Saudi Pro League. With an impressive tally of 11 goals and seven assists across all competitions, Barrow's contributions have been pivotal for his team.In a recent match against Al-Ahli, Barrow showcased his exceptional skill with a stunning goal from almost 30 yards out, despite his team's eventual 4-2 defeat. This breathtaking strike underlined his ability to change the course of a game with just one moment of brilliance.Currently, Barrow and Al-Taawoun F.C. find themselves positioned 9th in the Saudi Pro League standings, accumulating 18 points from 13 matches. As he continues to grow in confidence and form, fans eagerly anticipate what this talented player will bring to the pitch next.

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SCORPIONS HOLD FINAL TRAINING SESSION AHEAD OF ROUND FIVE OF 2026 WORLD CUP QUALIFIERS

The Scorpions of The Gambia completed their final training session in Abidjan in preparation for their upcoming match against Kenya in the fifth round of the 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers. This important fixture is scheduled to take place in Ivory Coast on Thursday, 20th March 2025, at 7:00 PM.Currently positioned second from the bottom in Group F, the Scorpions have achieved one victory in their four matches, alongside three losses. Head Coach Johnathan McKinstry and his team are focused on reversing their fortunes to enhance their prospects for qualification.

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QUEEN SCORPIONS ADVANCE TO NEXT STAGE OF WAFCON QUALIFIERS

The Gambia's Women's National Team, popularly known as the Queen Scorpions, has successfully secured their place in the next stage of the 2026 Morocco Women's Africa Cup of Nations Qualifier. In a thrilling return leg match against Niger, held in Dakar, Senegal, the team clinched a hard-fought 2-1 victory. This triumph contributed to an impressive aggregate score of 4-1 over the two-legged tie, showcasing their dominance throughout the series.The standout performances of players Mbassy Darboe and Fatou Kanteh were pivotal to the team's success. Darboe's skilful play and strategic positioning led to her scoring a crucial goal that shifted the momentum in favour of The Gambia.Meanwhile, Kanteh showcased her striking prowess, netting an impressive goal that not only sealed the win but also highlighted her offensive capabilities throughout the match.Under the astute guidance of Coach Mariam Sowe, the team displayed remarkable resilience, tactical discipline, and a strong sense of camaraderie. Their unwavering determination and teamwork transformed their ambitions into reality, setting the stage for the next phase of their qualification campaign. The Queen Scorpions are now poised to continue their journey in pursuit of a coveted spot in the continental tournament, fueled by their recent successes and the growing support of their fans.

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MINTEH READY FOR DECISIVE AFCON QUALIFIERS

Yankuba Minteh is expected to play a pivotal part in the Gambia's attempt for a 3rd consecutive AFCON qualification. Minteh, who has been nursing an injury, is included in coach Jonathan Mckinstry's squad to face Comoros and Tunisia in the decisive final two games of the AFCON qualifiersThe wing wizard has sat out Brighton's last five games, including the famous 2-1 win over champions Manchester City at the Amex stadium. His absence from Fabian Hurzeler's squad has raised worrying concerns in the Gambia ahead of the decisive qualifiers, but GRTS Sports has been reliably informed that Minteh has been training for the last two weeks and trained 100% last week.Brighton and Hove Albion have released the player to join the Scorpions despite the Seagulls preferring him to stay.The 20-year-old who has become an integral member since breaking into the national team is determined to help the Scorpions secure their place in Morroco 2025 and has opted to join the national team in Morocco.Yankuba is key and a potential difference maker for the Scorpions as Brighton's summer signing has netted 4 goals in 10 appearances for The Gambia, making the presence of a fit Yankuba Minteh very vital in the crucial and decisive upcoming qualifying games on the 15th and 18th November 2024.

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SPORTS MINISTER BADJIE ENCOURAGES TEAM GAMBIA AHEAD OF DEPARTURE FOR AFRICAN SCHOOL GAMES

The Gambia's Youth and Sports Minister, Bakary Y.  Badjie, bade farewell and handed over the battle flag to the Gambia's delegation to the maiden African School Games in Algeria. During the ceremony, the Minister assured them of the government's continuous support and urged them to be good ambassadors of the country in Algeria.The Sports Minister under whose leadership the Gambia is registered in the First African School Games, used the occasion to share words of encouragement with the delegation. “You all should go out there and be good ambassadors of the country, but you equally compete and come home with medals.”Bai Dodou Jallow, the President of the GNOC, the body responsible for the coordination of the Gambia's team, commended the government for providing school athletes with this rare opportunity. The government provided the delegation with 7 million dalasi, which covers over 80% of the total budget. 26 athletes and their officials will be travelling to Algeria to represent the Gambia in six different sports, including athletics, basketball, 3x3, Judo, swimming, Beach Volleyball and Wrestling. The team is expected to travel to Dakar on Monday morning, where they will board a flight to Algeria in the early hours of Tuesday.The maiden African School Games is set to bring together over 50 countries who will be represented by school athletes in different sports events between the 25th of July and the 5th of August 2025.

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COACH JONATHAN MCKINSTRY NAMES SQUAD FOR FINAL AFCON QUALIFIERS

As the final round of qualifiers for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) approaches, the players face a pivotal moment that could determine the fate of Gambia's national team.Coach Johnathan McKinstry has announced a carefully selected squad that is poised for action, starting with a crucial match against Comoros on November 15, 2024, set to take place in Morocco.Following this encounter, the team will head to Tunisia for their decisive qualifier on 18 November 2024.The stakes are high for the Scorpions of The Gambia; a victory over Comoros, paired with a draw against Tunisia, could secure their place in the prestigious AFCON tournament for the third consecutive time. With the weight of national pride on their shoulders, the players are eager to demonstrate their skill and determination on the field.

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CAF DECLARES GAMBIA INELIGIBLE TO HOST HOME MATCHES AFTER STADIUM RENOVATION

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has determined that the Gambia is currently unable to host the 2025 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers following a recent assessment of the renovation works funded by the Gambia government. The inspection identified that the stadium requires further enhancements to the playing surface before it can be approved for any CAF or FIFA matches.While acknowledging the successful renovations overall, CAF noted that the condition of the pitch necessitates improvements to qualify for Category 3 matches. CAF expressed appreciation for the significant advancements made at the facility, commending the Government of The Gambia, the Gambia Football Federation (GFF), and the stadium management. Key areas of improvement included the dressing rooms, spectator stands, media zones, hospitality services, and essential structural elements. These enhancements represent a constructive step towards compliance with CAF and FIFA standards.Moreover, CAF has offered to assist the Gambia by providing a pitch specialist consultant to facilitate the necessary preparations, ensuring that the playing surface meets all requirements for future senior international matches.The Ministry extends its apologies to the public, who have been eagerly anticipating the return of the Scorpions to their home grounds. In light of this feedback, the Ministry will accept CAF’s proposal to engage a pitch specialist consultant to aid in the essential improvements.

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CAF GIVES TEMPORAL APPROVAL FOR USAGE OF INDEPENDENCE STADIUM

After sending video and picture evidence of the completion of the remodelling and renovation of the Independence Stadium works to the Confederation of African Football (CAF), temporal approval has been given by CAF for The Gambia to host home matches.However, CAF will send inspectors for physical confirmation to ascertain if the pictures sent match with CAF's requirements.A senior official at the Ministry of Youth and Sports has told GRTS that, 'we've received confirmation that temporal approval has been given for the usage of the stadium for CAF matches.''But inspectors will have to come for physical confirmation, possibly before November. We are hopeful that final approval will be given because the evidence sent to them is what is on the ground.''So there is a 100% chance that we will play our game against Comoros at home' he said.After CAF banned the Gambia from hosting home matches due to a substandard stadium, the government of the Gambia under the leadership of H.E Adama Barrow has spent over 280 million dalasi to renovate the Independence Stadium to the required CAF standards.

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SCORPIONS COACH JOHNATHAN MCKINSTRY UNVEILS SQUAD FOR AFCON QUALIFIERS

The Gambia National Team coach Johnathan McKinstry has unveiled a 24-man squad ahead of the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.In what will be their quest for a third AFCON appearance, The Gambia will first take on Comoros on September 4th, before playing against Tunisia on September 8th. All the two matches will take place in Morocco as both the national stadiums of both The Gambia and Comoros are banned by CAF for failing to meet the required standards.

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GINA'S PARIS OLYMPICS JOURNEY ENDS IN WOMEN'S 200M SEMIS

 Gina Mariam Bass Bittaye, The Gambia's most decorated athlete, narrowly missed qualifying for the Women's 200m finals, marking the end of her 2024 Paris Olympics journey. Even though she ran her season best of 22.66 seconds, that was not enough as she finished 4th in the Women's 200m semifinals.Gina had previously won gold in the Women's 100m and 200m at the 2024 African Games, as well as gold in the Women's 100m at the 2024 African Senior Athletics Championship.Although she reached the semifinals in both the Women's 100m and 200m at the Paris Olympics, she fell short of making it to the finals.This was Gina's third consecutive appearance at the Olympics.

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TRAILBLAZING FEMALE REFEREE KADDY SAWANEH: THE JOURNEY OF YOUNG FEMALE REFEREE BREAKING NEW GROUNDS

For many young people, in the Upper River Region, business is the only way out, while others rely on farming to earn a living, but that is not the case for one young lady. Kaddy Sawaneh decided to take on a totally different calling as she moved to become a professional football referee. Growing up as a kid, Kaddy Sawaneh said she developed a passion for the trade after seeing referees officiating games. "I admire it a lot when I see assistant referees running on the touchlines and raising flags."That encounter shaped her passion for the game, and she has since started pursuing refereeing as a career. A former sprint athlete at Tahir and Mahaad Senior Secondary Schools, sports have long been part of Kaddy's life. After completing her schooling at Mahaad, she ventured into refereeing in 2021, and fast forward to the 2024 season, she started officiating in the Gambia Football Federation Second Division League, after completing many tests including intense fitness routines. "After my schooling, I told my mum since it's difficult to have employment. I would like to do refereeing, but that comes with insults. She advised me to stay patient and look at my future." Kaddy said."So, I joined the West Coast Region Referees Association. We were given a course, cooper test, and training.""A day before the Cooper test, I vomited at the training ground because I didn't know how to run it. Many thought I would fail the fitness test, but when we went for the fitness (cooper) test, I completed it." She added.Kaddy's mother, Sunkarr Bah, said she is not bothered by the insults her daughter is concerned about. "When she told me about the insults, I told her to stay calm and respectful. Since they are not coming to my house to insult me, I'm not even aware. She should not even be bothered to respond or have problems with anyone, Sunkarr said.Maintaining a clear balance between her social life and her greatest passion is never a problem for the young referee.Every day, the young lady said she would do all her chores on time before heading out to the field for routine training with her colleagues and is committed to the training as in a real game situation. From training to real game situations, Kaddy is usually included on a male panel for tougher games, including finals, She follows game action with keen interest. A great pace and eye for detail are required, but she gives her best to avoid missing anything. The passionate lady is gradually going on to become a true success story in female refereeing across the regions. Kaddy became the first female to be included on a panel for a Regional Third-Division final when she served as an assistant referee in a mouthwatering clash between Garawol and Sabi at the Basse mini stadium on June 29, 2024, where she demonstrated a great understanding of the game and a high level of confidence in a highly attended final that ended 2 - 1 to Garawol. "I brought her to the Upper River Region so she can inspire many females. As of now, we have four ladies who ventured into refereeing in URR because of Kaddy." Alagie Mendy a referee said."Anytime I play with her, she is always above the level. I've been receiving a lot of positive comments about her performances. That means she is on track to becoming great." Alagie stated.Officiating in environments highly dominated by men will require courage, which is manifested by her, as she continues to play games across the Lower and Upper River Region.Even in situations where there is no security, the young Kaddy will still muster the courage to officiate. When attempts are made to attack her, she says she is never intimidated as she always stays focused on the game. "It's risky, but it builds your confidence as a budding referee." She said.Kaddy knows being a referee, especially in a male-dominated setting, is tough, but officiating football matches is what she has now chosen as a dream. "I wouldn't allow the threats and insults to stand between me and my dream. I want to be remembered like Papa Gassama and others." Kaddy said. Born and raised in the Lower River Region settlement of Pakalinding, the young female referee is from a family that is clearly behind her decision to pursue refereeing as a career. Both the mother, Sunkarr Bah and the father Wuyeh Sawaneh, said they cannot financially support their daughter to pursue her dream of becoming an international referee, but they are constantly encouraging and praying for her while calling on people to support her in any way possible. "If you are not from a strong family, you can only appeal for support. If I can have people to support my daughter to achieve her dreams, I will be grateful." Sunkarr Bah said. The young assistant referee is the "only hope of her family," and she said she believes that someday, she will use refereeing to change the lives of her family and community. "I'm a poor lady who depends on refereeing to support my family. My mother works as an office janitor. Since I started refereeing, I've been helping them, especially this year, I bought two bags of rice for my mother. I would like to do more by the time I achieve my dreams." The passionate young referee said.For now, the focus of the young referee is to continue developing while eying the international FIFA and CAF refereeing badges.

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