Buoyed by Friday’s emphatic 7-0 win over Seychelles, Brave Gladiators’ gaffer Woody Jacobs has said they have no intentions of taking the foot off the pedal when they face Eswatini in today’s Cosafa Women’s Championship clash at the Madibaz stadium in Gqeberha, South Africa.
He said his charges will go into today’s encounter oozing confidence and great determination, as they want to maintain their winning streak and advance to the next phase of the competition.
However, the veteran mentor is careful not to get carried away by Friday’s resounding win, saying Eswatini is an unpredictable side, with experienced players.
Namibia’s campaign at the ongoing 2024 Cosafa Women’s Championship began with a loss against host nation South Africa, but they managed to bounce back by thrashing debutants Seychelles.
Fiola Vleite led the charge with a hat-trick, while Twelikondjele Amukoto, Irene Kooper and captain Zenatha Coleman were all on target as the Namibians wrapped up a morale-boosting win.
The Gladiators are currently in second place with three points, tied with Eswatini.
South Africa has already secured a spot in the next round, with today’s match between Namibia and Eswatini to determine who will join the log leaders in the semifinals.
“The match is going to be very interesting, as the team is in good spirits and very confident of ending the group and last match with maximum points. I believe that the quality we possess is far more than what our opponents possess, but we must play better to get the victory,” Jacobs told New Era Sport.
He added: “All our top players are available for the Eswatini encounter, which is a huge boost for us. In such a crucial match where we need maximum points, having a full squad is always important. We expect our players to be in the best form possible.”
Only the four group winners will advance to the semifinals. For the first time, all 14 Cosafa nations are competing at the regional showpiece, making it the biggest senior women’s competition on the African continent. Equally, for the first time, the Fifa-approved Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology will be used from the final group games onwards.
-mkambukwe@nepc.com.nam