Serie A star Barrow revels in Gambia’s stunning AFCON run

Douala (AFP) – Musa Barrow could be forgiven for looking at himself as the celebrity in small Gambia as the country’s football workforce prepare for their very first at any time Africa Cup of Nations quarter-last.

The 23-yr-outdated forward plays routinely in Serie A and is fresh from scoring the objective that took the Scorpions into the final eight and a tie from hosts Cameroon in Douala, but his humility shines via.

“Some may say I am one particular of the huge gamers in this staff but I do not see myself as a big player. I see myself as equivalent to every person. You have to remain humble and enable other people,” he tells AFP at the team’s base in Cameroon’s economic funds.

“Even if you are a big player you have to gain your location and give every thing.

“It is our very first time in the AFCON. Who appreciates when we will arrive again all over again? So I have to dwell and take pleasure in this minute.”

Barrow’s wonderful objective clinched a 1- acquire for Gambia over Guinea in the last 16 to set up a day with the Indomitable Lions, but even prior to that this Cup of Nations had been an incredible achievement for Tom Saintfiet’s crew.

The west African country of 2.5 million individuals which hugs the Gambia river is the smallest country on the African mainland.

The Scorpions experienced never appear shut to qualifying for a significant match ahead of, and nonetheless they designed it via their team by beating Mauritania and Tunisia both aspect of a draw with Mali.

Barrow coolly converted a past-moment penalty to protected a stage versus Mali and despatched beautiful totally free-kicks off the woodwork in that video game and in opposition to Tunisia.

Useless to say the team are nicely informed of the affect their run is possessing back again dwelling.

“After the video game my large brother named me and you could see all the individuals outside celebrating,” Barrow suggests.

“Everyone is satisfied back again dwelling. It is a little country. We adore football. Persons understand football from the avenue so coming to this AFCON, reaching this stage is a large advancement and it is likely to choose the Gambian title to higher heights.”

– Italian connection –

Barrow is a person of a handful of Gambian players dependent in Italy, possessing been at Atalanta in advance of becoming a member of Bologna in January 2020.

Each has his individual story. The 20-12 months-previous midfielder Ebrima Darboe is now taking part in less than Jose Mourinho at Roma possessing travelled on your own to Libya aged 15 prior to a perilous boat journey more than the Mediterranean.

As for Barrow, the boy from Banjul was even now a teen when he was offered the possibility by Atalanta to transfer to Bergamo.

“My Mum, who is a trainer, did not allow for me to vacation but eventually I acquired the likelihood to go to study and then have trials at Atalanta.

“They liked me and so I had a likelihood to turn out to be a specialist player. Then you have training and you have football and you have to fall education and learning for soccer, but I am happy that it labored out for me.”

He has been a revelation at Bologna due to the fact signing up for in January 2020 and netting nine objectives in his first 50 {cf07cd047201b183b19c0b335dbd7d35a498f84568531c8abe8643bd3ccfd494}-year in Serie A.

A additional 8 aims adopted last period and five more so significantly in this marketing campaign, and Barrow is flourishing there beneath the management of Sinisa Mihajlovic.

“Mihajlovic played a massive element in my job, so I am extremely joyful and I can’t thank him sufficient. 

“Like every participant you want to reach a bigger stage of soccer. Enjoying in the Champions League, participating in in larger leagues, but it depends on the challenging work you place in.”

1st of all, even though, it is Cameroon on Saturday, and a Gambia earn would be a person of the all-time great AFCON shocks.

“We have nothing to get rid of but they are the host country. If they get rid of it is likely to be a large disaster for them.”