Gambia’s hope of qualifying for 2014 dash by Ivory Coast

The Gambia Scorpions

The Gambia’s hope of qualifying for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil has been dashed on Sunday after loosing three nil in the hands of African Elephants Ivory Coast in the second round qualifying campaign of the 2014 tournament. Gambia's World Cup Qualifier against Ivory Coast ended with the Elephants' emphatic mauling over the Scorpions.

Goals from Bony five minutes after the resumption from a penalty spot put the Elephants ahead with an early second half lead, before Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure  scored the second goal eight minutes later with a header between two Gambian defenders out of cross sent in from the right side of the pitch. Former Chelsea winger  Salomon Kalou seal the scores with the third goal in the 70^th minute when Arsenal influential player maker  Geivinho set him from a brilliant pass after drivel passing four Gambian player to set him in the box.

Salomon Kalou’s goal join him among the top leading goal scorers equal with Equatorial Guinea midfielder Juvenal, Kenya striker Dennis Oliech and Namibian striker Lazarus Kaimbi all of them with three goals, while DR Congo striker Trésor Mputu top the World Cup qualifying round campaign leading goal scorer with four goals.

The Scorpions would have wished to put smiles on Gambian faces, but unfortunately, our destination was wrong. But the Elephants are giants’ killers of the day with a buzzing crowd behind them at this stadium...Felix Houphouet Boigny.

The scorpion’s first half performance was very good, but The Gambia Scorpions is not a team that can maintain Constance in the 90th minute of a game. We are always better in the first half against any team not even against the might Brazil, but second 45 minutes is always hard for the team maintain the Constance. In terms of  history for the scorpions in the 2014 qualifying round games, Gambian play better than their opponents in all the previous games in the first half to certain point of taking the lead in the first half, but lost possession in the second half and end of loosing the game.

The head coach of Gambian the Italian technician Roberto Minchin who is yet to secure a single win for the scorpions in qualifying campaign since taking over from his assistant Peter Bonu Johnson as the boss. Since then the only best result for the nation was a the recent 3-1 over Niger in the friendly game play few days ago in Niger capital Niamey and a bounced back draw with Mauritania in two international friendly games play at the Independence Stadium fourth nights ago where he conceded two nil defeat in the first game. 

In other qualifying games in Africa, South Africa snatched a two nil win at home on the expense of Central African Republic, Namibia lost at home to Malawi by 1-0, Senegal draw 1-1 with Angola, the same scores separated Nigeria and Kenya, Cameroon defeat Togo by 2-1 scores, a similar scores ended Tunisia and Sierra Leone, Burkina Faso thrashed Niger by emphatic 4-0 and Congo snatch a 1-0 over Gabon.