Steven Damaseb, captain of Namibia’s U/20 football side, believes the team has what it takes to make an impact at this year’s Cosafa U/20 Cup, which started yesterday in Nelson Mandela Bay in South Africa.
The country’s junior side, affectionately known as the Young Warriors, will open their 2020 Cosafa U/20 Cup campaign with a tie against regional powerhouse Zambia tomorrow at the Wolfson Stadium, while their second match will see them take on Malawi next Monday, 7 December.
Namibia’s final group match will be against the Comoros next Wednesday, 9 December. The Young Warriors are in Group B of the 2020 Cosafa U/20 Cup alongside Zambia, Malawi and Comoros. The Namibians will be making a return to the tournament after missing out on last year’s edition.
Namibia will be taking part in the 2020 Cosafa Men’s Under 20 in Port Elizabeth in South Africa where the tournament will be held. It also marks Namibia’s return to this tournament after their absence from the tournament in 2019.
Speaking to the Namibia Football Association (NFA) media desk, a confident Damaseb said the team has the capacity to reach the semi-finals or even the final of this year’s Cosafa U/20 Cup, adding that they will stick to their plan and will not allow themselves to be bullied by opponents.
“I have played with most of these players and they are exceptionally good, we played together last year and we are back together again. We can really go far if we just go with the game plan and not get intimated by the other teams,” said a poised Damaseb.
This year’s tournament is also the first qualifying round for the U/20 World Cup in Indonesia in 2021 as the finalists will be qualified for the 2021 Africa U/20 Cup of Nations to be played in Mauritania where the semi-finalists will see themselves qualify for the World Cup.
Namibia’s 2020 Cosafa U/20 Cup squad: Rogiano Goagoseb, Tully Nashixua, Immnauel Hamunyela, Promise Gurirab, Jovane Narib, Tuhafeni Ananias David, Xavier Mcclune, Denzil Narib, Steven Damaseb, Prins Tjiueza, Edmar Kamatuka, Giovanni Kaninab, Pitsi Ameb, Carl Tjipe Karuuombe, Junhino Jantze, Ronin Berendt, Ngazikue Kandetu, Romeo Amon, Ruhuka Ngatangwe and Amazing Kandjii.