Gambia head coach Jonathan McKinstry says his team’s impressive 4-2 victory over Ghana was achieved despite the absence of some well-known players, insisting that the squad has been undergoing a rebuilding process over the past two years.
McKinstry explained that it would be easy to focus on established names such as Yankuba Minteh and Musah, particularly because of their familiarity to supporters, but he believes the Gambia’s progress has also been driven by the development of other players within the squad.
“It’s very easy to look at the names people know so well like Yankuba Minteh and Musah because they’ve been around for long but over these last two years we’ve been building a new team.”
The Gambia entered the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Ghana without some of the players who have become prominent figures in the national team.
However, McKinstry’s side produced a disciplined and determined performance at the Accra Sports Stadium to secure a 4-2 victory over the Black Stars.
The coach’s comments underline his belief that the Gambia are developing greater depth within the squad rather than depending solely on their most recognisable players.
According to McKinstry, the work done over the past two years has focused on creating a new group capable of competing even when established players are unavailable.
That approach appeared to pay dividends in Accra as the visitors recovered from a difficult start and turned the match around.
Ghana took a two-goal lead, but The Gambia fought back before the interval and went into half-time level at 2-2.
The visitors then maintained their momentum in the second half and added two more goals to complete a memorable away victory.
McKinstry’s comments also point to the importance of squad development in international football, where injuries, suspensions and other circumstances can force teams to rely on less experienced players.
For The Gambia, the victory provides evidence of the depth McKinstry says has been developed within the national team over the past two years.
The result also gives the Gambians an important boost in their 2027 AFCON qualification campaign, while Ghana will have to reassess its approach after suffering another disappointing result.
