WINDHOEK – Brave Warriors captain Dynamo Fredericks and debutant Elmo Kambindu were both on target as Namibia cruised to a comfortable 2-0 victory over the Comoros Islands during their second round first leg qualifier of the 2020 African Nations Championship (Chan) in Moroni on Friday.
With the first leg already in the bag, Warriors interim gaffer Bobby Samaria cautioned that nothing is done yet as the second leg slated for Sunday, August 4, at the Sam Nujoma Stadium in the capital will be a different affair altogether and thus the islanders will not be left unchecked on match day.
“The team was a little unfit because we had a short time to prepare and the weather conditions didn’t do us any favours as well, but we came here with a belief and exceeded our expectations. All I can say is that they [Comoros] will come pushing for an early goal in the second leg and we will devise a strategy to counter that. I know the public had different views out there but it is important to rally behind the team for the greater good of our game,” said Samaria.
The highly experienced Samaria, who was temporarily appointed national team head coach on short notice, was under pressure to secure a win in Comoros in order to ease the heat heading into Sunday’s second leg proceedings.
The overall winner of the two-legged affair between Namibia and Comoros will proceed to face the winner of the Madagascar versus Mozambique encounter in the third and final round of the Chan qualifiers.
For Sunday’s second leg match, tickets will cost N$30 at all Computicket outlets countrywide and N$50 at the gates. Tickets are also already on sale at the Namibia Football Association (NFA) Football House in Katutura.
Chan is Africa’s second biggest football tournament after the coveted Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon), and exclusively features players who are active in their respective national leagues and qualified to play in the ongoing season. Expatriate players, regardless of where they play, even in Africa, are not qualified to represent their countries in Chan.
The Brave Warriors that faced Comoros on Friday: Ratanda Mbazuvara, Ivan Kamberipa, Obrey Amseb, Larry Horaeb and Junias Theophilus, Aprocious Petrus, Immanuel Heita, Dynamo Fredericks, Emilio Martin, Absalom Iimbondi and Elmo Kambindu.
– Adapted from nfa.org.na