Ebou Adams and Myles Weston both added to their international caps this weekend, playing 90 minutes each for Gambia and Antigua & Barbuda respectively.
Adams helped earn Gambia a valuable point in their Africa Cup of Nations qualification game against Algeria, a superb result given that Gambia are ranked 172nd in the world and Algeria 66th. It certainly was an incident-packed trip for Adams, with a big crowd turning up at the Independence Stadium in Bakau.
The match was delayed for an hour and a half with reports that Gambia had sold 40,000 tickets for a 25,000-capacity venue. Crowds spilled on to the running track in front of the stands and many remained there for the duration of the match, patrolled by soldiers, while others watched perched on nearby cranes and the floodlights.
Algeria reportedly initially refused to come out in those conditions but rather than risk points sanctions, they finally emerged. Adams was up against some players of fine pedigree including Riyad Mahrez of Manchester City, Porto’s Yacine Brahimi and Leicester City’s Rachid Ghezzal. Algeria took the lead early in the second half but Gambia responded with the equaliser only two minutes later.
Myles Weston (below) had a less eventful trip but his Antiguan side were on the wrong end of a 3-0 defeat by St Lucia. Weston lined up alongside AFC Fylde’s Zaine Francis-Angol and Gillingham’s Josh Parker in the CONCACAF Nations League qualifier.
Both players return to the Fleet in midweek and we wish them a safe journey back to us.