Senegal and The Gambia are bracing for a highly competitive encounter despite the fixture being labelled as a friendly, with both camps emphasising its importance ahead of the March 31st kick-off.

Senegalese coach Pape Chaw made it clear that his side will not treat the match lightly.

“A match remains a match. We are not taking it as a friendly. This is not a trial game for Senegal. We are taking it seriously because it’s always tough to play against Gambia,” he said.

The Gambia’s coach Johnathan McKinstry also acknowledged the magnitude of the test while expressing confidence in his squad.

“This is a huge test for us, but also a huge opportunity. We respect Senegal’s level, but we’re confident our young, dynamic team can change the story.”

“The gap in rankings is big, but football is not played on the FIFA website, it’s played on the grass and we look forward to the game.”

Captain Omar Colley highlighted the balance between respect and competition between the two nations.

“We are brothers and celebrate them as African champions but on the pitch, there is no brotherhood or relationship.”

“We want to show everyone that The Gambia is not a small nation. We want to make our families and country happy.” Omar Colley stressed.

Meanwhile, Yankuba Minteh is relishing the opportunity to play in front of fans who have not seen him live before.

“This is a big motivation for me because some of these people have never seen me play live, this will be their first time.”

By Ebrima KB Sonko