This succcess has resulted in the former Ea Lla Koto boss being offered a contract extension on a long-term deal.
A country of just over two million people surrounded by Senegal except for its western coast, which is on the edges of the Atlantic Ocean, Gambia managed to qualify along with Gabon from a group that also featured Angola and heavyweights DR Congo.
Gambia are away in DR Congo today for a game whose result will not affect the top two in Group D.
Saintfiet, who has been with Gambia since 2018, will take charge of The Scorpions at their debut AFCON appearance in Cameroon following his third contract extension with the West African country, whose players all play out of the country.
The 48-year-old is considered a journeyman gaffer who has heled over 20 jobs in less than 20 years including the national team jobs of Nigeria, Togo, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, Namibia, Malawi, Malta, Trinidad Tobago, Bangladesh, and Yemen.
Locally he didn't last long at Stars taking charge of 11 games before being sacked after winning three, drawing two and losing six at the start of the 2014/15 season.
The only player from Gambia to ever play in the PSL is Pa Tembo Touray, who did duty for Santos.