The Gambia senior national team will tomorrow, Saturday 4th June 2022 rub shoulders with South Sudan in their opening match of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers at the Stade Lat Dior at 6 pm.

The Scorpions and the Bright Stars both arrived in Senegal on Wednesday ahead of their crunch clash of the continent's bi-annual biggest football showpiece qualifiers.

The Gambia and South Sudan senior national teams held series of training sessions to prepare themselves ready for their crucial qualifiers.

The Scorpions will scuffle to pommel South Sudan in their opening qualifier match to snatch the vital three points before clashing with Congo in their second group match.

The Bright Stars will fray to beat The Gambia in their opening qualifier encounter to clinch the significant three points before locking horns with Mali in their second group match.

The Gambia sailed to the group phase of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers following their 3-2 aggregate win over Chad in the preliminary qualifiers played in March 2022.

Sudan navigated to the continent's bi-annual biggest football fiesta qualifiers after their 5-2 aggregate victory over Djibouti in the preliminary qualifiers played in March 2022.

Speaking at the training session in Thies, head coach Tom Saintfiet stated that his team is ready and the atmosphere was good even though they were tired from their long trip to Senegal from UAE, adding that they are using the remaining days to look fresh and recover from their long trip before the Saturday encounter.

"The Saturday match against the Bright Stars will not be easy. We would never underestimate any team especially, an opponent like South Sudan."

"We need to be focus and serious during the game and hopefully we can take the three points," said coach Saintfiet.