Young Warriors achieve wins against premier league teams
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Coach James Britz's selected squad has been hard at work in their preparations to depart to Mozambique next week.
The Under-20 men's national football team selected for the upcoming Cosafa tournament has shown good form over the last week, having achieved three out of four wins in friendly matches against top-flight clubs.
In Wednesday’s outing, the juniors defeated premier league side Khomas Nampol with a convincing 5-2. Yesterday at Trustco United field, they were brought back to the drawing board in a 1-2 defeat against Orlando Pirates. Pirates recently bought back their premier league status from Civics after the boys in black and white were initially relegated from Namibia’s top flight.
The U20 team’s latest results follow two previous wins against coastal teams; firstly edging out a 2-1 wins against Blue Waters, before taking down Swakopmund’s newly promoted premiership outfit Blue Boys in another impressive performance.
The squad has been in training camp since last Friday, during which the squad was trimmed from 40 players down to a final roster of 20.
Namibia is looking to bounce back at the CAF U20 Africa Cup of Nations’ Cosafa qualifier in Mozambique’s capital Maputo (Thursday 26 September until 5 October) and perhaps seal a place at the continental finals for the second time in four years.
Head coach James Britz emphasized the importance of the past week in preparing the team for the tournament.
“I am still working my way around finding a first eleven and seeing which player fits well with the others. Therefore, I would like for us to play a few more games just to build further momentum,” Britz stated.
In response to questions about their travel plans, Britz indicated that the team would likely depart between 24 and 26 September.
The final 20-man squad for the Under-20 national team:
Goalkeepers:
Dicco Maletzky (Spoilers FC), Branco Rukoro (African Stars).
Defenders:
Antonius Guiseb (Tuks), Ivan Hoeb (Blue Boys), Tjinatso Kakuenje (KFA), Namayambona Matengu (Bush Bucks), Ruben Nkama (Okahandja United), Sion Shatilwapo (Desert Rollers).
Midfielders:
Godwin Beukes (KFA FA), Nicolas Deckenbrock (Ryersdal), Eugene Frederick (Mountain Rangers FC), Engilio Goagoseb (Ongos), Florendino Gurirab (Blue Boys), Robert Hihepa (Chief Santos), Maurizio January (African Stars), Vevangapi Mbuende (Unam).
Forwards:
Puis Haingura (Cuca Tops), Michael Jones (Eeshoke Chula Chula), Punaje Katjimune (Ongos), Punaje Vita (Unam).
Namibia’s fixtures at the U20 Cosafa Cup:
Sunday 29 September, v Angola, 15:00
Tuesday 01 October, v Zambia, 12:00
Only the top team in this difficult three-team group is guaranteed a place in the semifinals along with the best-placed runner-up across the three pools. The semi-finals are scheduled for 3 October, with the final two days later.
In Wednesday’s outing, the juniors defeated premier league side Khomas Nampol with a convincing 5-2. Yesterday at Trustco United field, they were brought back to the drawing board in a 1-2 defeat against Orlando Pirates. Pirates recently bought back their premier league status from Civics after the boys in black and white were initially relegated from Namibia’s top flight.
The U20 team’s latest results follow two previous wins against coastal teams; firstly edging out a 2-1 wins against Blue Waters, before taking down Swakopmund’s newly promoted premiership outfit Blue Boys in another impressive performance.
The squad has been in training camp since last Friday, during which the squad was trimmed from 40 players down to a final roster of 20.
Namibia is looking to bounce back at the CAF U20 Africa Cup of Nations’ Cosafa qualifier in Mozambique’s capital Maputo (Thursday 26 September until 5 October) and perhaps seal a place at the continental finals for the second time in four years.
Head coach James Britz emphasized the importance of the past week in preparing the team for the tournament.
“I am still working my way around finding a first eleven and seeing which player fits well with the others. Therefore, I would like for us to play a few more games just to build further momentum,” Britz stated.
In response to questions about their travel plans, Britz indicated that the team would likely depart between 24 and 26 September.
The final 20-man squad for the Under-20 national team:
Goalkeepers:
Dicco Maletzky (Spoilers FC), Branco Rukoro (African Stars).
Defenders:
Antonius Guiseb (Tuks), Ivan Hoeb (Blue Boys), Tjinatso Kakuenje (KFA), Namayambona Matengu (Bush Bucks), Ruben Nkama (Okahandja United), Sion Shatilwapo (Desert Rollers).
Midfielders:
Godwin Beukes (KFA FA), Nicolas Deckenbrock (Ryersdal), Eugene Frederick (Mountain Rangers FC), Engilio Goagoseb (Ongos), Florendino Gurirab (Blue Boys), Robert Hihepa (Chief Santos), Maurizio January (African Stars), Vevangapi Mbuende (Unam).
Forwards:
Puis Haingura (Cuca Tops), Michael Jones (Eeshoke Chula Chula), Punaje Katjimune (Ongos), Punaje Vita (Unam).
Namibia’s fixtures at the U20 Cosafa Cup:
Sunday 29 September, v Angola, 15:00
Tuesday 01 October, v Zambia, 12:00
Only the top team in this difficult three-team group is guaranteed a place in the semifinals along with the best-placed runner-up across the three pools. The semi-finals are scheduled for 3 October, with the final two days later.
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