Defeated by Ivory Coast with a scoreline of 3-0 during the third day of World Cup qualifying for Brazil 2014, Gambia has now been eliminated from contention for the global tournament. With just one point on the scoreboard, the Scorpions will proceed to play the remaining matches in the competition with a focus on honor. Coach Luciano Mancini acknowledges the reality of their situation.
“We no longer harbor any hopes of securing a spot in the World Cup. Our chances were dashed with the defeat against the Elephants. Moving forward, our objective is to play for honor and, more importantly, concentrate on the future. It is imperative that we work on constructing a highly competitive team. Our selection consists of young players who are yet to experience high-level competition and need proper training for it. Facing a formidable team like Côte d’Ivoire, with their exceptional players showcasing their talent, my players did reasonably well. They managed to hold the Elephants in check during the first half, which is a commendable achievement. Although the penalty altered the course of the match, we remain disappointed but committed to continuing our work,” expressed Coach Mancini on cafenline.com.
