Sikerete maintains confidence in team

Football
Namibia's coaches believe the Brave Warriors can overturn the one-goal deficit against Lesotho in Bloemfontein on Sunday.
Jesse Kauraisa
  • 6 Days Ago 01 November 2024
Head coach John Sikerete has expressed optimism that the Namibian team competing for African Nations Championship (CHAN) qualification will potentially gel better and produce a positive result at the Bloemfontein Stadium on Sunday (kick-off at 15:00).

The Brave Warriors are set to face Lesotho in the second leg of their tie. They trail Lesotho 0-1 on aggregate following their first preliminary round match that was played last Saturday at the same stadium.

The coach believes that the team has everything it takes to overturn the deficit after creating many goal chances and having done thorough preparations all week.

“I must say the team looks much better because the players have gotten to spend significantly more time in training together than what we had available when they were initially called up.

“As a coaching staff we have also gotten to familiarise ourselves with the players and the kind of improvement they need in order to play well.

“We are confident that the players will be able to gel well together now and will understand what is required of them by the coaching department in a match we have to win,” Sikerete said.

The coach added that they have also observed the way Lesotho plays and that could count in their favour on Sunday.

The aggregate winner will progress to face Angola in the final round of qualifiers.

The CHAN tournament is scheduled for February 2025, co-hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. Forty nations are currently competing in various rounds in four zones to be among the eventual 19 qualifiers for the continental tournament.

Namibia will seek their third-ever qualification. Their last appearance was in Cameroon 2020, following their best showing of reaching the quarter-finals at Morocco 2018.



Namibia squad (vs Lesotho in Bloemfontein):

Goalkeepers: John Muronga (Chula Chula), Tomwell Damaseb (Mighty Gunners), Kamaijanda Ndisiro (African Stars).

Defenders: Charles Hambira (African Stars), Erasmus Ikeinge (Chula Chula), Kennedy Eib (Chula Chula), Ngero Katua (African Stars), David Aingwafa (Chula Chula), Tuli Nashxiwa (Tigers), Sergio Damaseb (Mighty Gunners), Petrus Kamati (NCS).

Midfielders: Devin Somseb (Tigers), Godwin Eiseb (African Stars), Lawrence Doeseb (Chula Chula), Pollen Rooi (Young Brazilians FC), Elago Simon (Ongos FC), Paulus Amutenya (Unam FC), Mbakondja Tjahikika (African Stars).

Forwards: Willy Stephanus (African Stars), Fares Haidula (Chula Chula), Eliakim Jackson (Chula Chula), George Marcelinu (Chula Chula).