By Thenation sports reporter
Gambia U20 coach Lamin Sarr is confident that his team will triumph over Ghana and Nigeria after being drawn with the West African giants in the ‘Group of Death’ at the Africa Youth Championship.
The Gambia will also face Cameroon in Group B of the tournament to be held in Libya later this year.
Defending champions Ghana are regarded as the favourites in the group while Nigeria are continental giants in youth football.
But Sarr insists he is happy to have drawn with some tough countries and he is confident they will advance to the knock-out stages of the tournament
“I was expecting anything in the draw and as far as I am concerned this is a normal draw and I am very satisfied with it,” Sarr said.
“All the eight teams reached the finals on merit so there is no easy or difficult side.
“I am not scared of any team as far as football is concerned and we are going there to prove a point.”
The Gambia boss says they have set a target for the side to reach the last four and secure a place at the U-20 World Cup in Colombia.
“We just have to qualify for the semifinals if we hope to play at the World Cup in Colombia. I believe in my players ability to achieve this target,” said Sarr.
Ghana are the Africa champions and made history two years ago when they became the first-ever African side to win the U-20 World Cup.
Nigeria have won the competition a record five times, Ghana are three-time winners and Cameroon have won the competition once (1995), were losing finalists twice (1993, 2009) and were third in 1999.
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