Windhoek
The Baby Warriors will depart for Mauritius tomorrow ahead of their 2016 Cosafa Under-17 Championships match against the home side on July 23. The championship starts Friday and ends on July 31.
Namibia’s Under-17s are in Group A with host Mauritius and the Seychelles, as well as South Africa, and the Baby Warriors will open their campaign against the host on Saturday, July 23 at 14h00 at the Stade Georges V in Curepipe.
Coach Timo Tjongarero has named 20 players to do the country proud for the weeklong tournament with captain Dawid Morgan Junior to lead the team.
“We have a very promising team that did well against Botswana in the CAF qualifiers for 2017 and we need to give these boys the exposure of playing at Cosafa and do well ahead of the second round match against Congo in the road to Madagascar next year. The boys’ confidence has improved over time and going to Mauritius can only do them more good, Tjongarero says.
Team Namibia will depart on Tuesday and play their first game on Saturday before taking on South Africa on Monday, 25 July and then finish off the group against Seychelles on Wednesday, 27 July at the Stade St Francois Xavier in Port Louis.
“Three group games and the bonus of making it through to the next round can mean a lot for the development of these boys and we are going to Mauritius to compete and do the nation proud. We have a very good chance of making it to all the way and we will work hard for it,” Tjongarero states. Paul Malembu is Tjongarero’s assistant with Uauanisa Kariahuua the team’s medical officer.
Group B consists of Zambia, Malawi, Kenya and Madagascar and the top two finishers from each group will proceed for Friday, July 29 semifinals with the final set for July 31.
Baby Warriors lineup for Mauritius 2017: Philipus Josef, Godwin Awaseb, Johannes Hollombach, Lubeni Haukongo, Immanuel Isaya, Dawid Morgan JR, Helmuth Namaseb, Stanley Ndjavera, Mbakondja Tjahikika, Vaino Uugwanga, Aljarreuh Zaahl, Pitsi Amseb, Alex Kaongelwa, Mathias Shipanga, Richard Larksman, Giovani Kaninab, Stevano Dundee, Denzil Narib, Junior Petrus and Megameno Kapuku.