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Gambia women's national football team

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article is about the women's team. For the men's team, see Gambia national football team.

The Gambia
Shirt badge/Association crest
Nickname(s)The Scorpions
AssociationGambia Football Association
ConfederationCAF (Africa)
Sub-confederationWAFU (West Africa)
Head coachBubacarr Jallow
FIFA codeGAM
First colours
Second colours
FIFA ranking
Current 114 Steady (20 August 2021)[1]
Highest104 (December 2020)
Lowest114 (April 2021)
First international
 Morocco 2–1 Gambia 
(Rabat, Morocco; 4 April 2018 ) [2]
Biggest win
 Gambia 2–1 Burkina Faso 
(Bakau, The Gambia; 10 April 2018)
Biggest defeat
 Nigeria 6–0 Gambia 
(Lagos, Nigeria; 1 June 2018)

The Gambia women's national football team represents The Gambia in international women's football. It is governed by the Gambia Football Association. As of December 2019, it has only competed in one major international competition, attempting to qualify for the 2018 Africa Cup of Nations. Gambia has two youth teams, an under-17 side that has competed in FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup qualifiers, and an under-19 side that withdrew from regional qualifiers for an under-19 World Cup. The development of a national team faces challenges similar to those across Africa, although the national football association has four staff members focusing on women's football.

History[]

The team[]

In 1985, few countries had women's national football teams.[3] While the sport gained popularity worldwide in later decades, the Gambia's national team only played its first game in 2007.[4][5] That game was not FIFA-recognized.

The Gambian Senior National Team's first appearance at a major event occurred in April 2018 when they lost a 1-2 result at Burkina Faso in the opening round of qualifying for the 2018 Africa Cup of Nations. In the second leg of the fixture, Gambia produced a 2–1 victory of their own. As the results of both legs were identical, a penalty shoot-out was required to determine which squad would advance. Gambia converted all five of its penalty kicks, and advanced to the second round of qualifying.[6] the Gambia drew the defending Cup of Nations Champions Nigeria as their second round opponent. They failed to score against the Super Falcons, and were eliminated from the tournament with a 0–7 aggregate line.[7]

The country did not have a FIFA-recognised youth national team until 2012, when the competed in Confederation of African Football qualifiers for the FIFA U-17 World Cup, to be held in Azerbaijan in September 2012. Gambia fielded an under-17 team of 24 players, narrowed from an initial pool of 49 young women.[8][9] Two girls from the were chosen as a members of the team.[8] Gambia first played in a pair of qualifying matches for the tournament. Gambia won the first match 3–0 in Banjul, Gambia's capital.[9] The return match was delayed for 24 hours and played in Makeni.[9] Gambia beat Sierra Leone 4-3 to qualify for the final round.[10] Gambia then beat 1–0 at home and won 2–1 in Tunisia. Adama Tamba and scored the Gambia's goals. Tunisia's only goal was a Gambian own goal. The win qualified Gambia for the 2012 Azerbaijan World Cup.[11]

The Gambia also has an that was to play in the African Women's U-19 Championship in 2002. That Gambian squad's first match was to be against Morocco, but the team withdrew from the competition.[12]

Background and development[]

The development of women's football in Africa faces several challenges, including limited access to education, poverty amongst women, inequalities and human rights abuses targeting women.[13][14][15][16] Funding is another issue impacting the game in Africa, where most financial assistance comes from FIFA and not national football associations.[17] Another challenge is the retention of football players. Many women footballers leave the continent to seek greater opportunity in Europe or the United States.[17]

Gambia's national football association was founded in 1952, and became affiliated with FIFA in 1968.[18][19] Football is the most popular women's sport in the country, and was first played in an organized system in 1998.[19] A national competition was launched in 2007,[20] the same year FIFA started an education course on football for women.[4] Competition was active on both the national and scholastic levels by 2009.[4] There are four staffers dedicated to women's football in the Gambia Football Association, and representation of women on the board is required by the association's charter.[19]

Death of Fatim Jawara[]

In September 2016, Fatim Jawara, a player of the national team, left her homeland Serrekunda in Gambia and crossed the Sahara Desert to Libya.[21] In November 2016, she travelled with others on two boats across the Mediterranean Sea, heading towards the Lampedusa island of Italy.[22] Due to a severe storm, their boats sunk and Jawara drowned. She was 19 years old.[23] Her absence was first noted when the national team was due to play Casa Sports F.C. from Senegal as part of a festival to celebrate women's football. Jawara sought to smuggle herself into Europe, attempting crossing the Mediterranean Sea by boat to Italy.[23] She travelled first to Libya, before boarding the boat.[21] Several days after the attempt, her family was contacted by the agent to inform them that her boat had capsized, and she had drowned.[23]

Reactions to her death[]

Lamin Kaba Bajo, President of the Gambia Football Federation, said "We are grieving at the moment as this is a great loss to the national soccer team and the nation."[21]

Team image[]

Home stadium[]

Results and fixtures[]

The following is a list of match results in the last 12 months, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled.
Legend

  Win   Draw   Lose   Fixture

2021[]

18 October 2021 (2021-10-18) 2022 AFWCON qualification First round 1st leg Sierra Leone  0–2  Gambia Monrovia, Liberia
Report
  • Goal 53'
  • Goal 77'
 Stadium: Antoinette Tubman Stadium
25 October 2021 (2021-10-25) 2022 AFWCON qualification First round 2nd leg Gambia  1–1
(3–1 agg.)		  Sierra Leone Bakau, Gambia
Report Stadium: Independence Stadium
Note: Gambia won 3–1 on aggregate.

2022[]

14 February 2022 AFWCON qualification Second round 1st leg Cameroon  v  Gambia
23 Feburary 2022 AFWCON qualification Second round 2nd leg Gambia  v  Cameroon

Coaching staff[]

Current coaching staff[]

Position Name Ref.
Head coach Bubacarr Jallow

Manager history[]

  • Bubacarr Jallow (????–)

Players[]

Current squad[]

The following players were named for the 2018 Africa Women Cup of Nations qualification on June 2018.

Caps and goals accurate up to and including 19 June 2021.

No. Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Club
1GK (1996-03-03) 3 March 1996 (age 25) The Gambia
1GK (1998-01-22) 22 January 1998 (age 23) The Gambia
2DF (1997-06-06) 6 June 1997 (age 24) The Gambia
2DF (1997-10-03) 3 October 1997 (age 24) The Gambia
2DF (1996-09-15) 15 September 1996 (age 25) The Gambia
2DF (1997-10-11) 11 October 1997 (age 24) The Gambia
2DF (2001-04-13) 13 April 2001 (age 20) The Gambia
2DF (1993-02-10) 10 February 1993 (age 28) The Gambia
3MF (1992-04-25) 25 April 1992 (age 29) The Gambia
3MF Penda Bah (1998-08-17) 17 August 1998 (age 23) The Gambia
3MF (1998-08-29) 29 August 1998 (age 23) The Gambia
3MF (1997-02-21) 21 February 1997 (age 24) The Gambia
3MF (1996-04-04) 4 April 1996 (age 25) The Gambia
3MF (2001-04-10) 10 April 2001 (age 20) The Gambia
3MF (1998-06-26) 26 June 1998 (age 23) The Gambia
3MF (2003-04-11) 11 April 2003 (age 18) The Gambia
4FW Adama Tamba (1998-08-29) 29 August 1998 (age 23) The Gambia
4FW Isatou Jallow (1997-10-10) 10 October 1997 (age 24) Nigeria Rivers Angels
4FW (2002-11-21) 21 November 2002 (age 18) The Gambia

Recent call-ups[]

The following players have been called up to a squad in the past 12 months.

Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club Latest call-up

Records[]

*Active players in bold, statistics correct as of 1 August 2021.

Competitive record[]

FIFA Women's World Cup[]

FIFA Women's World Cup record
Year Result GP W D* L GF GA GD
China 1991 Did Not Enter
Sweden 1995
United States 1999
United States 2003
China 2007
Germany 2011
Canada 2015
France 2019 Did Not Qualify
AustraliaNew Zealand 2023 To Be Determined
Total 0/9 - - - - - - -
*Draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.

Olympic Games[]

Summer Olympics record
Year Result GP W D* L GF GA GD
United States 1996 Did Not Enter
Australia 2000
Greece 2004
China 2008
United Kingdom 2012
Brazil 2016
Japan 2021
Total 0/7 - - - - - - -

Africa Women Cup of Nations[]

Africa Women Cup of Nations record
Year Result Matches Wins Draws Losses GF GA
1991 Did Not Enter
1995
Nigeria 1998
South Africa 2000
Nigeria 2002
South Africa 2004
Nigeria 2006
Equatorial Guinea 2008
South Africa 2010
Equatorial Guinea 2012
Namibia 2014
Cameroon 2016
Ghana 2018 Did Not Qualify
Total 0/13 0 0 0 0 0 0
*Draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ "The FIFA/Coca-Cola Women's World Ranking". FIFA. 20 August 2021. Retrieved 20 August 2021.
  2. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2018-04-13. Retrieved 2018-04-13.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  3. ^ Chrös McDougall (1 January 2012). Soccer. ABDO. p. 45. ISBN 978-1-61783-146-1. Retrieved 13 April 2012.
  4. ^ a b c "Goal! Football: Gambie" (PDF). FIFA. 21 April 2009. p. 3. Retrieved 16 April 2012.[dead link]
  5. ^ Saavedra, Martha; Centerfor African Studies, University of California, Berkeley (December 2007). "Women's Football in Africa" (PDF). Third Transnational Meeting on Sport and Gender, Urbino. Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 December 2013. Retrieved 17 April 2012.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  6. ^ http://www.cafonline.com/en-us/competitions/11theditionwomenafcon-ghana2018/Fixtures?roundId=b5b9XUlkEPMAUe1kOhsANknd7oWMBWxJVgdPBHTlgJr9z70IRXPNalV%2b6nUnzydk 2018 CAF Cup of Nations Qualifying First Round Fixtures
  7. ^ http://www.cafonline.com/en-us/competitions/11theditionwomenafcon-ghana2018/Fixtures?roundId=s0WFLeaiyMTF9ZW6A2P2K1bFD4SeGhnZHUqvKvqW40oxroG0RTQDjUw1wbfCebMP 2018 CAF Cup of Nations Qualifying Second Round Fixtures
  8. ^ a b "Goal for the girls!". SOS Children's Villages International. 21 January 2012. Archived from the original on 31 May 2012. Retrieved 2012-04-20.
  9. ^ a b c "Sierra Leone host Gambia in FIFA Women's U-17 qualifying match in Makeni". Sierra Leone Football. Archived from the original on 8 August 2014. Retrieved 3 July 2012.
  10. ^ "Gambia beat Tunisia on the 1st lega of the Final Round". Gambia: Gambia Football Association. Archived from the original on 28 May 2012. Retrieved 3 July 2012.
  11. ^ "Gambian Girls Make Heroic Return". Gambia: Gambia Football Association. Archived from the original on 28 May 2012. Retrieved 3 July 2012.
  12. ^ "African Women U-19 Championship 2002". Rsssf.com. Retrieved 13 April 2012.
  13. ^ Jean Williams (15 December 2007). A Beautiful Game: International Perspectives on Women's Football. Berg. p. 186. ISBN 978-1-84520-674-1. Retrieved 13 April 2012.
  14. ^ Richard Giulianotti; David McArdle (2006). Sport, Civil Liberties and Human Rights. Routledge. p. 77. ISBN 978-0-7146-5344-0. Retrieved 28 June 2012.
  15. ^ Chris Hallinan; Steven J. Jackson (31 August 2008). Social And Cultural Diversity In A Sporting World. Emerald Group Publishing. pp. 40–41. ISBN 978-0-7623-1456-0. Retrieved 28 June 2012.
  16. ^ Jean Williams (18 December 2003). A Game for Rough Girls?: A History of Women's Football in Britain. Routledge. pp. 173–175. ISBN 978-0-415-26338-2. Retrieved 28 June 2012.
  17. ^ a b Gabriel Kuhn (24 February 2011). Soccer Vs. the State: Tackling Football and Radical Politics. PM Press. p. 34. ISBN 978-1-60486-053-5. Retrieved 13 April 2012.
  18. ^ Ballard, John; Suff, Paul (1999). The dictionary of football : the complete A-Z of international football from Ajax to Zinedine Zidane. London: Boxtree. p. 258. ISBN 0752224344. OCLC 59442612.
  19. ^ a b c FIFA (2006). "Women's Football Today" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on August 14, 2012. Retrieved 17 April 2012. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  20. ^ "Goal! Football: Gambie" (PDF). FIFA. 21 April 2009. p. 1. Retrieved 16 April 2012.[dead link]
  21. ^ a b c France-Presse, Agense (2 November 2016). "Gambian national goalkeeper dies during Mediterranean crossing". The Guardian. Retrieved 3 November 2016.
  22. ^ Jason Burke (2016-11-03). "Gambia goalkeeper who died in Mediterranean wanted to play in Europe". the Guardian. Retrieved 2016-11-04.
  23. ^ a b c "Gambia goalkeeper dies trying to reach Europe". BBC News. 3 November 2016. Retrieved 3 November 2016.

External links[]


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