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Gambia: Countdown to Congo 2007

The finals of the 15th edition of African U-20 championship will kick off from January 20 to February 4, 2007 in Congo Brazzaville.

The Gambia is part of the eight qualified teams that made it to the second most-prized continental tournament. The eight teams have been divided into two groups of four. Group A comprises the host nation, Congo, Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso and the debutant and The Gambia, while Group B, which is regarded as 'group-of-death', featured the defending champions Nigeria, the crafted North-African side, Egypt, Cameroon and Zambia.

The Gambia will take on Burkina Faso on January 20, for their debut game before meeting the host nation, three days after. The Scorpions' last group match will see them lock horns with Ivory Coast on January 26. The last four teams in the championship will represent Africa to the FIFA U-20 World Cup finals, to be hosted by Canada in June 2007.

Competition format

First-round of the final tournament

Two groups, A and B, each of the four teams, shall be formed. The first shall include the organising country's team while the second shall include the holder of the cup, in case it qualifies or the team which obtain the best classification in the previous tournament. The other teams of each group shall be designated by a public drawing of lots during which representatives of the participating teams shall be invited to attend. The failure on the part of such representatives to be presented shall not debar the committee from proceeding with the drawing of lots at the scheduled date.

This public drawing of lots shall be carried out at least four months before the start of the final tournament. The matches of the groups shall be played in accordance with the fixtures established by the organising committee. For the matches of each group, the following points shall be granted: 3 points for the winner, 1 point for a draw, and 0 point for the loser

In case of equality of points between two teams at the end of the group matches, the classification of the teams shall be established according to the best goal difference. If the goal difference is not decisive, we shall take into consideration the greatest number of goals scored. If the number of goals scored does not determine the winner, then the particular goal average, i.e. the result of the match played between the two teams concerned, shall be taken into consideration. If the particular goal average does not determine the winner, the Organising Commission of the group concerned shall proceed to a drawing of lots in order to establish the final classification of the group. If the number of teams which have equal points is greater than two, the particular goal average shall not be taken into consideration and the drawing of lots shall be carried out, if the goal differences as well as the number of goals scored do not determine the winner.

Second-round of the final tournament

At the conclusion of the matches of both groups, the first and second of each group shall be qualified for the semi-finals. The first of group A shall meet the second of group B, and the first of group B shall meet the second of group A. The teams which shall be classified first in each group shall play the semi-finals on the ground where they played to qualify. The semi-final matches shall be played in accordance with the cup system, by direct elimination of the loser. An extra time of 2 X 15 minutes shall be played in case of a draw match after the regular time. If after the extra time the result is not decisive, the winner shall be determined by taking kicks from the penalty mark.

The losers of the semi-finals shall play a match for the third place. In case of a draw after the end of regular time, the winner shall be determined by taking of kicks from the penalty mark.

The Final shall be played between the winners of the semi-finals. In case of a draw match after the regular time, an extra-time of 2 X 15 minutes shall be played. If after the extra time the result is still a draw, kicks will be taken from the penalty mark to determine the winner.

The matches may be played in daylight or under flood-light.

For the final tournament, CAF Organising Committee will reside in the host country to supervise the matches. A representative from CAF Referee's Committee will sit in on the Organising Committee with no voting rights. The Committee will designate one of its members to officiate as Commissioner for each of the matches. The committee will draft and issue a communique after each match played on the same day, it is played; which will be distributed to all the teams.