Musa Barrow is the man to lead Gambia’s attack when the Scorpions play host to Algeria.
Scheduled to be played at the Independence Stadium next month, the game will be the home side’s second outing since the start of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
Atalanta’s Musa Barrow has been invited and is tipped to lead Gambia’s frontline along with either fellow Italy-based Lamin Jallow or Assan Ceesay who plays in Switzerland’s Super League.
Barrow is the newest big name of a star-studded West African outfit that has, ironically, never qualified for the senior African championship owing to poor support from the government.
It will be 19-year-old Barrow’s maiden call-up on September 8th after bursting onto the scene last year.
A former Hawks FC graduate, the goal-getter’s journey to fame began with the Gambia U-20 side that lost to Guinea Conakry in the final play-off round in 2016.
He turned heads soon after breaking into Serie A outfit Atalanta’s youth set up where he scored 20 goals in 26 cameos, firing in a successive three goals against Roma’s reserves along the way.
The capital-based league giants lodged numerous bids for the African but determined to see their youngster isn’t swayed, Atalanta acted quickly to incorporate him into the A-team where he has since cemented his place, morphing into an unmistakable presence in literally all of the outfit’s league outings.
Dubbed Printoo by locals in Gambia, Barrow scored his first hat-trick in the Europa League second round qualifiers on August 2nd and is touted to be a transfer target for juggernauts like Inter Milan, Tottenham, Roma, and Juventus.
The quick-footed striker was left to warm the bench during Monday’s 3-3 stalemate with Roma but will hope to replicate his scoring club form in the meeting against Algeria in a promising must-watch clash.
He will be supported by the likes of Metz FC’s Ablie Jallow, Reading United’s Modou Barrow or former Middlesbrough’s wonder-kid Mustapha Carayol with Watford FC’s Sulayman Marreh marshalling the midfield.
Musa’s presence has led to the axing of Albania Super League golden boot winner, 21-goal Ali Sowe along with Bubacarr Trawally, the top scoring African in the Chinese Super League on 18 goals.
Invited foreign-based players
Goalkeepers: Modou Jobe (El Kanemi Warriors, Nigeria), Baboucarr Gaye (Arminia Bielefeld, Germany)
Defenders: Omar Colley (Sampdoria, Italy), Bubacarr Sanneh (FC Midtjylland, Denmark), Pa Modou Jagne (FC Zurich, Switzerland), Simon Richter and Dawda Ngum (BK Bronshoj, Denmark)
Midfielders: Sulayman Marreh (Watford, England), Ebou Adams (Ebbsfleet United, England), Hamza Barry (Hajduk Split, Croatia), Tijan Jaiteh (Al Markhiya, Qatar)
Forwards: Modou Barrow (Reading, England), Mustapha Carayol (Apollon Limassol, Cyprus), Lamin Jallow (Salernitana, Italy), Assan Ceesay (Lugano, Switzerland), Ablie Jallow (FC Metz, France), Musa Barrow (Atalanta, Italy).
