Windhoek
Brave Warriors head coach Ricardo Mannetti was left with more questions than answers after his team failed to negotiate its way past Group K leaders Senegal on Saturday in a match of convenience for both teams in the 2017 AFCON Qualifier in Dakar.
The Warriors ended their dismal campaign in the continental competition with a disappointing 2-nil defeat at the hands of the Lions of Teranga, to leave them with a third place finish in the four-nation group stage, ahead of bottom-placed Niger.
Senegal won the group hands down with a 100 percent record (18 points from a possible 18) followed by Central African representatives, Burundi, in second place.
Going into the match with nothing to play for and only pride at stake, the Namibians (minus inspirational skipper Stigga Ketjijere and fast galloping striker Pikes Shalulile) faced an uphill battle to tame the Lions in their own den at the Stade Leopold Sedar Senghor in Dakar.
The visitors put up a gallant showing in the opening stages, with Namibia’s dreadlocked shot stopper Slimkat Mbaeva saving a penalty kick in the first half. But this did not stop the hosts taking a slender one-goal lead going into the break, courtesy of a second spot-kick ten minutes before the changeover (1-0).
Though disappointed with the final result, Mannetti applauded his soldiers for their never-say-die attitude, while demonstrating strong character, something that was clearly lacking in the Warriors’ recent outings.
“After all the hiccups we experienced prior to this match, compounded by the unfortunate absence of some key members of the squad, those on the field gave it their all and deserve a pat on the back. It should be noted that this was our first competitive match in two months and playing against a team laden with a significant number of European-based players, it was a remarkable performance,” a relieved Mannetti said after the match.
Mannetti could not heap enough praise on goalkeeper Mbaeva, whose penalty save kept the score-line respectable.
The agile lanky net guard was also exceptional between the sticks throughout the entire 90-minutes of the match.
“Max was wonderful in goal today and did extremely well with all the pressure, notwithstanding the exceptional talent of Senegal. The boys played according to instructions and frustrated the opposition for the better part of the match. I bet my last penny that if we could have prepared better the outcome could have been different.”
A defiant Mannetti remained adamant that the internal wrangles that besieged the team before departing for Senegal had a negative impact on the players’ mental state.
However, the former Civics and Light Body Santos’ holding midfielder still believes, given the good performance delivered under trying conditions, that the Brave Warriors remain “great sons of the soil and true ambassadors”.
It cannot but be noted though that the attacking trio of Ballack Somaeb, Petrus Shitembi and Benson Shilongo wasted gilt-edged goal scoring chances.
Shilongo was a late entrant at the expense of club-less Somaeb, with enterprising fullback Dynamo Fredericks replacing the clearly out-of-sorts Deon Kavendjii-Hotto, while Ita Keimuine made way for MTC Premiership Player of the Year Abes Iimbondi.
The Brave Warriors’ starting lineup: Slimkat Mbaeva, Chris Katjiukua, Mashaba Karongee, Junior Gebhardt, Larry Horaeb, Wangu Gome-Batista, Oswaldo Xamseb, Deon Kavendjii-Hotto (Fredericks) Petrus Shitembi, Hendrick Somaeb (Shilongo) and Itamunua Keimuine (Iimbondi).
– Additional reporting by nfa.org