Gambia vs Gabon: Johnathan McKinstry Out to Frustrate Panthers' World Cup Dream in Fiery Rivalry Clash at Kasarani

The Gambia national team head coach, Johnathan McKinstry, has spoken about the intricate relationship between his side and Gabon ahead of their World Cup qualifier at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani, on Friday, October 10.

Gambia will host Gabon, and this time, head coach Johnathan McKinstry has made it clear that his team is determined to secure all three points.

In their first leg encounter, which Johnathan McKinstry strongly believes they should have won, the Scorpions lost 3-2 to the hosts in a match played at the Stade de Franceville.

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Now, having picked the lessons, Johnathan McKinstry is banking on his players and ‘home advantage’ to silence Gabon and deny them an automatic spot in qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

“Even 18 months ago, in Franceville, in one of the matches, we were leading at halftime and could have been ahead by two or three goals and then halftime was one hour long because the lights went out in the stadium for an hour. The second half ended 3-2 to our hosts,” Johnathan McKinstry told the media, reflecting on their first leg clash.

Johnathan McKinstry added that he is aware of how tough Gabon are as an opponent, revealing that sometimes, their rivalry has also escalated off the pitch.

The former Gor Mahia coach explained that, however, on Friday, it will be all about who walks away with all three points.

Johnathan McKinstry understands the importance of the match, since Gabon are in a fight with the Ivory Coast, to see who secures a spot at the World Cup.

“Preparations are still ongoing; we just had one session on Tuesday after everyone arrived, but it was a great first session. We all know that Gabon is a tough opponent, and we have an interesting history between each other,” Johnathan McKinstry added.

“We can’t say we are the best of friends. There have been very competitive games between us, and one or two things off the field. On Friday, we expect the same because you know our guests have everything to play for, because they are in a tight race with the Ivory Coast for the first position in the group.”

Johnathan McKinstry added that he is confident about Gambia’s chances of leaving a mark in the 2030 World Cup qualifiers.

According to the coach, Gambia has all the qualities needed, and they will be in a position to show the world their potential on Friday.

He explained that getting a win over Gabon will not be a walk in the park, but they are willing to put in extra effort to frustrate the Panthers and place themselves among the strongest contenders for a spot in the 2030 World Cup.

“In four or five years, in the 2030 World Cup, this is the kind of position we want to be in, in terms of competing for the World Cup slot,” Johnathan McKinstry added.

“We know we have the quality, and these are matches we relish. Our players are motivated for the game, and for us, we just have to be focused and hopefully, we have a good afternoon on Friday, but we need to put in the work to come out with the three points.”

At the moment, the Ivory Coast lead Group F with 20 points ahead of Gabon, who have 19 points. Gabon are scheduled to clash against Gambia and Burundi, while the Ivory Coast will take on Seychelles and Kenya.