Africa-Press – Gambia. Jonathan McKinstry, head coach of The Gambia’s senior national team, has praised his players’ performances following their back-to-back victories over Kenya and Burundi in the FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
Reflecting on the matches, McKinstry acknowledged the mental and physical challenges his team faced—particularly the emotional high of the Kenya match and the dramatic circumstances surrounding the Burundi fixture.
“We knew the Kenya game might naturally take a bit more focus,” McKinstry said. “Playing in front of 50,000 fans against a home side is always a huge occasion. To come off that high and shift focus to the Burundi game—played in a much smaller stadium—was a different type of test, even though the Gambian community came out in strong numbers, which we really appreciated.”
The coach described the match against Burundi as chaotic and mentally demanding.
“It was a strange one—kicking off at 10 p.m., then floodlights going out for 30 minutes, and the game eventually finishing after midnight,” he noted. “But the players showed incredible focus and discipline. A 2-0 win, a clean sheet—we denied Burundi any real chances. The team worked extremely hard.”
Addressing his decision to rotate the squad, McKinstry explained that leaving some senior players on the bench was a matter of trust and form.
“We have huge confidence in the entire squad,” he said. “When players are training hard and performing well at their clubs, they deserve the chance to show what they can do. It’s important to reward that effort.”
The two victories mark a strong start to The Gambia’s World Cup qualifying campaign, with McKinstry’s side demonstrating both resilience and depth under challenging circumstances.
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