By: Zackline Colley
Coach Jonathan McKinstry is feeling confident as The Gambia’s national football team prepares for a crucial AFCON 2025 qualifier against Madagascar.
Despite some minor fitness concerns, the team is ready to face Madagascar today at 2 p.m. local time, with their hopes of qualifying for the tournament in Morocco hanging in the balance.
During a pre-match conference aired by the GFF, McKinstry expressed satisfaction with the team’s preparations, stating, “We’re pleased with where the squad is, but we’ve had to make one or two considerations based on just little knocks. Nothing too serious, just some small things they picked up in their last club game.”
He also assured that while some players may not be fit for a full 90 minutes, everyone is available for selection. “Everyone’s available to play. There are a couple who maybe aren’t quite able to do 90 minutes, but over the two games, we know we’ve got enough weapons on the team to go out and get a good result.”
These matches against Madagascar mark the halfway point of the AFCON qualifiers, and McKinstry emphasized the importance of delivering a strong performance. “We want to be really positive,” he said. “I think the minimum that the supporters back in The Gambia would demand is 11 players, and the guys coming off the bench, playing with passion, with desire, with big hearts for The Gambia.”
While The Gambia’s performance so far has left fans hopeful, McKinstry acknowledged that luck hasn’t always been on their side. “Maybe we deserve more points than we got [in the last two games]. But football is a bit of a cruel game in that it very rarely gives you what you deserve. So, you’ve got to go take it by force a little bit,” he added.
McKinstry anticipates a tough challenge from Madagascar but remains optimistic. “We believe Madagascar, in a similar position to us in the group, will come with everything they’ve got. But if we play to our maximum, we expect a good performance.”
Today’s match will play a pivotal role in determining The Gambia’s path toward AFCON 2025 qualification, and the team is committed to delivering for their fans.
