Hopes of a dream start to the African Nations Championship (CHAN) qualifying campaign were put on hold Saturday evening as the Gambia’s Scorpions were held to a goalless draw by Algeria at the Independence Stadium in Bakau.
It was a historic occasion as international football made its long-awaited return to Gambian soil, but the spectacle on the pitch offered little excitement for the packed home crowd. In a tense and tactical affair, both sides struggled to carve out clear-cut chances, with Algeria adopting a cautious approach that saw them frustrate their hosts for long stretches of the match.
Despite the Gambia showing greater attacking intent, particularly in the second half, the breakthrough never came. The best opportunity of the game fell to Fortune FC’s Adama Kanteh in the 57th minute. A deflected cross landed perfectly at his feet in the penalty area, but the forward blazed his effort high over the bar, much to the dismay of the home supporters.
Algeria, represented by a home-based squad as per CHAN regulations, appeared content with the draw and will now look to capitalize on home advantage when the tie shifts to the May 19th Stadium in Annaba for the second leg on May 9. With a strong domestic league and depth in talent, the North African side will go into that encounter as firm favorites to advance to the CHAN finals set for August.
Meanwhile, in another CHAN qualifier played earlier on Saturday, Malawi secured a narrow 1-0 victory over South Africa in Lilongwe, giving them a crucial edge heading into their own return leg.
For the Gambia, all eyes now turn to Annaba, where Coach Alagie Sarr’s men must dig deep and find a way to upset the odds if they hope to secure a coveted spot in the CHAN finals.
