Brave Warriors’ head coach Bobby Samaria yesterday named the final 25 players who will represent Namibia at the Council of Southern Africa Football Associations’ (COSAFA) Cup set to take place in Nelson Mandela Bay, South Africa from 6 to 18 July.
Namibia, who won the cup in 2015, is in Group C alongside Senegal, Zimbabwe and Mozambique. Their first match will be against Senegal on Thursday, followed by an encounter against six-time winners Zimbabwe on 11 July, and the final match of the group will be on 14 July against Mozambique.
The Namibian squad consists of regular players such as shot-stopper Loydt Kazapua, Baroka duo Ananias Gebhardt and Joslin Kamatuka, Isaskar Gurirab, Absalom Iimbondi, Marcel Papama and Willy Stephanus.
Mamelodi Sundowns’ goal-poacher Peter Shalulile did not make the team as he is nursing an injury. Moroka Swallows’ goalkeeper Virgil Vries as well as Orlando Pirates’ forward Deon Hotto also did not make the team because of Premier Soccer League pre-season commitments.
In an interview with the Namibia Football Association (NFA) media desk, Samaria said he has told his charges to focus on winning their first match against Senegal.
“We have to make a statement against Senegal in the opening game. I told the boys to visualise victory and work towards that. We can get it right. It will be 11 against 11 and anything is possible,” Samaria said.
Final Cosafa Cup Brave Warriors are Loydt Kazapua, Kamaijanda Ndisiro, Kennedy Amutenya, Larry Horaeb, Ananias Gebhardt, Immanuel Heita, Denzil Haoseb, Ivan Kamberipa, Emilio Martin, Aprocius Petrus, Charles Hambira, Dynamo Fredericks, Ambrosius Amseb, Wendel Rudath, Absalom Iimbondi, Marcel Papama, Prins Tjiueza, Willy Stephanus, Alfeus Handura, Wesley Katjiteo, Elmo Kambindu, Joslin Kamatuka, Isaskar Gurirab, Junior Theophilus and Salomon Omseb.
– mkambukwe@nepc.com.na