2016-03-18Staff Report 2 Windhoek The national women's senior team, the Brave Gladiators, still have a chance of progressing further in the 2016 CAF Women Cup of Nations qualifiers when they host Zambia at the Sam Nujoma Stadium at 16h00 today. The Gladiators are trailing 3-1 from the first leg. Brave Gladiators coach Jacqui Shipanga reckons a lack of international friendlies for the team ahead of the defeat at Zambia, as well as the pitch conditions at the Nkoloma Stadium in Lusaka two weeks ago, contributed to the defeat of the team. “It is not easy if you don’t play an international friendly ahead of such a crucial match, and also the pitch was wet and natural grass. Our players are used to the artificial turf during their league games. It was very difficult for the players to adapt to the conditions”, Shipanga said. “We have a big task at hand, but the ladies have character and with the support of the nation we can reverse the score-line. Our goal was no luck, but sheer determination. Zambia will look to counter us as we push for goals and we need to be cautious of that from the word go”, Shipanga explains. The Gladiators’ goal was scored by Poly Babes captain Lorraine Jossob, in additional time after her side was 3-0 down by halftime already. The aggregate winner will play Tanzania or Zimbabwe in the second and final round of qualification for Cameroon 2016. 2016-03-18Staff Report 2
