Gambia manager Tom Saintfiet understands that Scorpions supporters will be expecting their team to cruise by Chad in the preliminary round for 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying, but the tactician is treating their opponents very seriously. Despite their surprise run to the quarterfinals before bowing out to hosts Cameroon, Gambia’s FIFA ranking of 150 at the time of the 2023 AFCON qualifying draw was still low enough to prevent them from receiving a bye to the group stage.
Now ranked 125th in the latest rankings, manager Saintfiet knows the team cannot afford to slip up and praised Chad’s results from qualifying for the 2021 AFCON as well as their players. With only two games in the home-and-away duel, the Belgian coach acknowledged that anything can happen as well as the unusual situation of both teams being forced to play their home legs in different countries. Click the link below to read more on the qualifying tie.
