Scan Aid Secondary School fancy their chances in the inaugural CAF African Schools Football Championship

The Gambia’s Scan Aid Secondary School will be one of the favourites when the inaugural CAF African Schools Football Championship kicks off on Wednesday, 5 April in Durban, South Africa.

The Brufut based school will represent the CAF Zone West A region in the girls’ category of the tournament which is designed for students between the ages of 12-15 years old.

« We expect to go into the tournament and come back with the trophy, we expect nothing but the trophy, » head coach Amadou BB Jatta told zoneouesta.org.

The young tactican expects a tougher challenge in the continental phase of the tournament which will see the champions of the six CAF zones and the host team battle for the coveted trophy.

« Of course, we expect a tougher competition compared to the zonal phase for the fact that all champions from all the 6 zones in Africa will meet in Durban, » Jatta said.

« Everyone will give their utmost best to be crown champions. Every team will play their hearts out but at the end of the tournament we will surely be crown champions.

« The girls are hungry for success, and the desire to win the maiden continental CAF African School Football Championship is just overwhelming.

« The talk has been how to win the maiden trophy, and that’s what we are coming for. »

Amadou BB Jatta’s side get their zonal campaign to a perfect start with a narrow 2-1 success over College Fo De Fissa of Guinea in the Cape Verdean Island of Santa Cruz.

The Gambians left it late to secure the victory with a last-gasp winner to undo the Guineans, who had levelled the score after they were behind.

Scan Aid left the best for last on day one as they thrashed Senegal’s Cem Amadou Ba Sampathe 7-0 to register the biggest victory of the tournament.

They registered their third victory in the round robin phase with a straightforward 3-0 victory over Escola Secundaria Jose Augusto Pinto of host Cape Verde.

They saw off the challenge of Ecole Congresso de Cassaga of Guinea-Bissau in the final match to book a continental ticket unbeaten with a full haul of 12 points.

Scan Aid’s Kaddy Camara was named Best Player at the zonal finals and will be one to watch in Durban.

The Draw of the 2023 CAF African Schools Football Championship will take place on Tuesday at the Moses Mabhida Stadium at 15:00 GMT.