The Gambia Football Federation president, Lamin Kaba Bajo, has paid tribute to the country’s national team for qualifying for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) finals in Cameroon.

“It has been a long and challenging journey, but with resilience, focus and hard work we reached this stage. This cannot be achieved without the contribution of all and sundry—the players, coach and his technical staff, my colleagues in the executive, the secretariat staff, the greater football family, volunteers/helpers, the government and of course the fans and supporters who always put us on our toes. Often our relationship gets hot and bitter but thanks to mutual respect and tolerance, we are all winners today. Let’s keep the spirit,” Bajo told the association’s website.

“We understand your impatience, but despite the sometimes frustrating relationship, we remained focused on the roadmap and plans we set for ourselves. I must admit that your criticisms and complains serve as our strength and motivation. As we embark on yet another monumental task, your prayers, criticisms and guidance are needed more today than ever before.”

Gambia qualified for the AFCON finals after beating Angola 1-0 on Wednesday evening in a Group D match to cement their top spot with 10 points.

The Tom Saintfiet’s men scored through Assan Ceesay in the second half.

Angola remain bottom with one point and have since been eliminated.