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Home / Brave Warriors turn attention to CHAN qualifiers... pressure on Mannetti mounts
Brave Warriors turn attention to CHAN qualifiers... pressure on Mannetti mounts
2017-07-11Staff Report 2 Staff Reporter Windhoek-The Brave Warriors, who just returned home from a poor Cosafa Castle Cup campaign in South Africa, where they failed to retain the regional competition’s Plate trophy after losing to Bafana Bafana 1-0 in the final, have now turned their attention to the 2018 Africa Nations Championships (CHAN) qualifiers. Namibia will this weekend confront the Warriors of Zimbabwe in their first leg clash of the CHAN second round of matches at Sam Nujoma Stadium in Windhoek at 15h00 on Sunday. The CHAN competition slated for Kenya next year is strictly for home-based or local players and not for foreign-based footballers. Going into Sunday’s match, the Warriors of Zimbabwe were clear favourites, having won the Cosafa Cup over the weekend with a squad made up mainly of local-based players, and will also be boosted by the addition of CAPS United players, who campaigned in the CAF Champions League over the weekend. “I remain positive as a coach and I will prepare my team to win. We will give our best and I hope our best will be good enough against Zimbabwe. We need to face reality and know they are very active and have players from their Cosafa winning squad and the champions league, as well, and that will be a difficult side to play against,” Mannetti admitted. The CHAN is a competition organised by CAF to afford local-based players in each country a chance to compete at continental level, as during selection for the Africa Cup of Nations they often tend to be overlooked for players who ply their trade abroad. Some of the local players likely to be considered for this weekend’s encounter include captain Ronald Ketjijere, Ferdinand Karongee, Larry Horaeb, Riaan !Hanamub, Tiberius Lombard, Oswaldo Xamseb, Dynamo Fredericks, Wangu Gome, Benyamin Nenkavu, Itamunua Keimuine and Lodyt Kazapua. Goalkeeper, Virgil Vries, is also clubless at the moment after he was released by former club Maritzburg United, but will not be available and hence won’t be considered for these games. The winner of the Brave Warriors versus Zimbabwe clash will face either Lesotho or Comoros on the road to Kenya 2018. The 5th edition of the CHAN tournament will be held in Kenya between January 11 and February 2, 2018. Tickets will be available at Computicket as from tomorrow for N$30.00 each. 2017-07-11Staff Report 2
