WINDHOEK – Brave Warriors coach Ricardo Mannetti and his misfiring charges have received yet another lifeline to redeem themselves and hopefully get back to winning ways, when Namibia confront Tanzania in a friendly match on home soil at the Independence Stadium in Windhoek on March 5.
After suffering a lumbering 1-0 defeat at the hands of Ghana during an international friendly in Windhoek last Saturday, NFA President John Muinjo said the upcoming friendly is aimed at providing yet another opportunity for the national team to prove their mettle.
Having failed to record their first win on home soil in last weekend’s action against a middling Ghana squad, Muinjo emphasized that despite being out of two major competitions set to take place this year, namely the FIFA World Cup and the CHAN competition, the team still needs to remain active to build momentum for the 2015 African Nations Cup qualifiers.
“I believe the more we engage in these types of matches, which we have been doing, the more we could come to grips with expectations at this level so that one day we have a formidable side that will aggressively vie for top honours and qualify for bigger continental events,” said Muinjo.
Keeping in mind the Brave Warriors’ disappointing results of late, the NFA chief urged the team to at least start winning on home soil. “We have to turn the Sam Nujoma or Independence stadium into fortresses and stop drawing and losing games. Similarly, it is important to be well prepared and be consistent with positive results, while striving to improve on the FIFA rankings at the slightest opportunity we get to play an international level A game anywhere.”
Since taking over from Swedish wanderlust mentor Roger Palmgren mid last year, Mannetti has only managed to scrape together 3 wins and 2 draws from 10 games, losing the other 5 matches – a record that has not yet fully convinced many football pundits about the national team’s future prospects.
Muinjo further revealed that international friendly encounters would take place between the Brave Gladiators and their Tanzanian women counterparts ahead of the 2014 CAF Women Championship to be played in Windhoek from October 11 to 25. – Additional reporting: nfa.org.na
By Otniel Hembapu