With Italian Serie A league season all but over, striker Ali Sowe now sets his sight on helping the Gambia national team trigger a major upset on visiting Ivory Coast.
Gambia aims a shot on a star-littered elephant outfit June 8th for the return-leg of the World Cup qualifier match. And while the Scorpions manager's list of invited players is yet to be made public, Chievo Verona's new signing Ali has offered to join the team against Group C toppers. "Playing for Chievo gives me a huge task and confidence to work even harder especially against Ivory Coast.
I will love to play against them [the elephants]" the 18-year-old who had been recently fast tracked into Verona A team told Foroyaa Sport in a serialized interview while anticipating what would be a rare victory for the Gambia. Despite signing the dotted lines for a trade in top flight European football, the goal-poacher will have to wad off competition from Momodou Ceesay who plays in Kazakhstan for the striking role in attack. Ceesay has found the back of the net number of times since making his debut in a 5-1 drubbing of Gambia by Mexico. And, with Ousman Jallow and 19-goal Ibou Sawaneh likely to be reconsidered, Ali Sowe admits doubling up his effort would be key to see him through the national team starting lineup. "Playing for Chievo gives me a huge chance and I will have to continue working even harder to grab a permanent place in the national team" he points out, fully aware of the mammoth backbreaking task that comes with being an international.
His eight minute debut climbing off the bench fetes Sowe as the first Gambian to appear in the Italian top flight - a country whose vast array of football talents makes the numbers in semi- professional leagues in the Scandinavia hemisphere. "I felt good being the first Gambian to play in the Serie A but there are other [Gambian players] still capable of making similar progress" a soft-spoken Ali said. Sowe made his second outing to make a fifteen minute show on Sunday for the Cake-manufacturing sponsored club before a fifteen thousand turnout of supporters at the Stadio Atleti Azzuri D' Italia against host Atlanta -the league final game. "yeah, as a player I am always confident of myself and am just counting on my chances that I'm having in the field" he continued, over his aims for a permanent place in Chievo Verona's squad come next season.
Chievo finished the league 12th in the 20-team league -two below their 10th place season.
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