As part of the preparations for their forthcoming international matches both the Gambia National U-20 and U-23 teams have moved to camp.

The Gambia National U-20 team, who would be travelling to Mali this week, have gone to camp since Wednesday 20th September 2006, while the U-23 team are expected to camp today. Knowing the importance of the Bamako game, Coach Bonu Peter Johnson have retained the same team that defeated Morocco in the first round of the qualifiers in Banjul.

The Gambia has only 180 minutes to their first qualification to an African Youth Championship in the history of Gambian Football, as the winner of the ultimate game will qualify for the Championship to be hosted by Congo in 2007. They are expected to keep their unbeatable records in the qualifiers in Bamako, which would be an important step towards the qualification to the continental championship.

It could be noted that the Gambia U-20 team eliminated Sierra Leone in the preliminaries after a 1-1 draw in Freetown, the Young Scorpions humiliated Sierra Leone 4-0 in Banjul. In the first round of the qualifiers they held the Young Atlas of Morocco to a 2-2 draw in Rabat and won 2-0 in Banjul.

For the Malians, they were exempted from the preliminary round as they were strong contenders in the last African Youth Championship held in Benin, 2005. In their first round encounter they defeated Guinea Conakry 1-0 in both home and away.

For the U-23 team their mission is more difficult than that of the U-20, after their goal less draw in Banjul against the Young Pharaohs of Egypt.