Hesron Kapanga
Brave Warriors coach Collin Benjamin on Tuesday announced a squad of 25 players, who will take on Burundi in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifiers, set for 22 June in Tanzania.
Namibia is currently at the top of Group C of the 2023 Ivory Coast Afcon qualifiers with five points and needs only one point from their next match against Burundi to reach the Afcon finals.
On Tuesday, Benjamin announced 25 of the 30 players who were in camp to travel to Tanzania, where they will play their last fixture of the qualifiers.
In an interview with the media after the morning training session, Benjamin said the team has prepared well, and this will probably be the last chance for some players to qualify for the Afcon.
He said they are looking forward to collecting points in Tanzania.
“We have the ball in our hands to qualify for the nations cup. All our players are fit and in good spirits ahead of this match,” he said.
Senior player Absalom Iimbondi concurred with Benjamin, saying the players had managed to go through the whole training programme as per the technical team’s advice.
“We are going there to collect maximum points. For some of us, it will be history in the making,” Iimbondi said.
If the Brave Warriors qualify, Iimbondi will become one of the few Namibian players to play at two Afcon tournaments and two African Nations Championship tournaments.
Reacting to the squad, former Brave Gladiators head coach Woody Jacobs said he is confident in the team that was selected, and they can get the job done.
“It’s the same squad that faced Cameroon; I think the coach went for continuity, trying to reward the players who did the job against Cameroon. It’s a formidable team, and I believe they can get the job done, as there is enough depth in the squad. The ball is actually in our hands to qualify, because all we need is a point then we can book our fourth qualification in the team,” he said.
The players: Goalkeepers Edward Maova, Ndisiro Kamaijanda and Jonas Mateus; Defenders Ryan Nyambe, Ivan Kamberipa, Steven Damaseb, Kennedy Amutenya, Denzel Haoseb, Ananias Gebhardt, Riaan Hanamub and Approcius Petrus; Midfielders Reverend Matroos, Devin Somseb, Ngero Kanjuka, Dynamo Fredericks, Paulus Amutenya and Marcel Papama; Strikers Absalom Iimbondi, Joslyn Kamatuka, Peter Shalulile, Bethuel Museu, Elmo Kambindu, Junior Petrus, Edmar Kamatuka and Wendell Rudath.
- Additional reporting by Maurice Kambukwe