Gambia’s friendly with Guinea called off amid coronavirus alarm

Gambia’s international friendly with the Guinean national team has been called off due to positive Covid-19 cases.

The Scorpions - who had defeated Congo 1-0 on Friday thanks to Assan Ceesay’s strike – were billed to take on the Syli Nationale on Tuesday, however, that encounter will not take place.

According to a statement on the Gambia Football Federation’s website, five out of the 19 Guinean players in camp have contracted the virus, while five are down with injuries in the wake of their 2-1 victory over Cape Verde.

“The Gambia National Team's second friendly international match earlier scheduled against the Guinea National team has been called off,” the report read.

“This development is necessitated by the Guinea Officials whose majority of players are confirmed to have contracted the Covid-19 virus while on camp in Portugal.

“This information is been communicated to the Gambian officials by the Guinea Football Federation and had further informed Fifa and Caf about the development and thus formally called off the match that is been scheduled to take place on Tuesday 13th October 2020 at 17:00.

“In fact, according to the Guinea officials, out of the nineteen players at camp, five have been tested positive of the Covid-19 virus while another five have sustained injuries in their game against Cape Verde and virtually been left with only nine players in the squad prompting their inability to observe any competitive match.”

The Gambian football ruling body also confirmed all medical tests carried out on Scorpions players and coaches returned negative results.

“Nonetheless, we would like to state that the Gambia national team and officials at the training camp have all undergone the mandatory Covid-19 tests; the results of which are all negative,” it continued.

“In this vein, the GFF President Lamin Kaba Bajo and Executive Committee members have applauded the management of the Scorpions training camp while in Portugal as professional and exceptional.”

In their victory over the Leopards, Noah Sonko, Abdoulie Sanyang, Musa Juwara, Babucarr Gaye and Sainey Njie were handed their maiden international debuts.

Tom Saintfiet’s men, who are unbeaten in their last three international outings, take on Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s Gabon in November’s double-header Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers as they hope to qualify for their maiden appearance at the biennial African football showpiece.