After a weekend of intense friendly matches in Okahandja, Young African FC head coach Marley Ngarizemo expressed satisfaction with his team’s performance and preparations as they get ready for their upcoming CAF Confederation Cup campaign.
The pre-season friendlies, part of the club’s final build-up to continental competition, saw Young African defeat Rundu Chiefs 4-1 before narrowly losing 0-1 to African Stars, one of Namibia’s top clubs.
The mini tournament featured several strong teams, including the Bucks Buccaneers, Khomas Nampol, African Stars, and Maniema Union from the Democratic Republic of Congo.
“Everything went according to plan. It was 100%, and the competition was very good. Our first game against Rundu Chiefs was excellent. I would like to congratulate their chairman for the incredible work he is doing. They’ll be a tough opponent in the league this season,” he said.
The coach also said his squad had completed eight weeks of training, and feels confident about their readiness. However, one concern remains: a key player picked up an injury over the weekend and underwent a CT scan. He is still the only doubtful starter ahead of the continental fixtures.
Young Africans will travel to Gobabis on Sunday for a final training camp. From there, they will travel to Botswana on Tuesday, where they will play the first leg of their CAF Confederation Cup preliminary round tie against Royal Leopards FC of Eswatini on 20 September.
The second leg will be played in Eswatini, with the squad again travelling by road to complete the tie.
Young African qualified for the CAF Confederation Cup by finishing second in the 2024/25 Namibia Premiership, earning a spot in the continental tournament and an opportunity to showcase Namibian football on a higher stage. Their opponents, Royal Leopards FC, are among the most decorated clubs in Eswatini. Based in Simunye and affiliated with the Eswatini Police Force, the club has won at least eight domestic league titles as of 2023. In the 2021–22 CAF Confederation Cup, they made history by becoming one of the first Eswatini teams to reach the group stage of the competition.
With the countdown to their continental debut now in days, Coach Ngarizemo is confident but focused.
“I am very happy and convinced the players are ready. It’s now just about fine-tuning the final details and staying healthy,” he noted.