Vries and Katjiukua makes Warriors return

The Brave Warriors will go to Senegal aiming to surprise their host in the 2017 Confederation of African Football (CAF) Africa Cup of Nations Group K qualifiers on 3 September as they look ahead to the AFCON 2019 tournament.
The Brave Warriors (six points) are out of contention for the 2017 finals in third place ahead of the final group game at group winners Senegal (15 points), but according to coach Ricardo Mannetti the team will prepare for the game in Dakar on 3 September to prove a point.
Training at the Namibia Football Association (NFA) Technical Centre started yesterday.
“I believe in defying the odds and this game gives us a chance to improve on our historical record. Senegal has been dominant over our team and we now have a chance to go there and make sure we do better than the last time we lost 2-0 at home against them,” Mannetti says.
The coach made reference to surprise English Premier League champions Leicester City and the Baby Warriors as newly crowned COSAFA u17 champions.
In his 20-men squad Mannetti has included the repented defender Chris Katjiukua and goalkeeper Virgil Vries, while there is also a place in the team for Da Costa Angula and Petrus Shitembi, both returning from injury.
Vries and Katjiukua went AWOL during preparations for this year’s Cosafa tournament, although their public apologies just before the eve of the competition did not reverse their exclusion from the squad.
“Chris and Virgil have showed their remorse and they are back. We will not tolerate any ill-discipline in this team,” Mannetti stated.
Shitembi was injured on the eve of the 2016 Cosafa Cup hosted in Windhoek, while Angula played in the quarter-
final defeat to Botswana before injury ruled him out of the rest of the tournament.
“Ninety percent of the players I have are from the Cosafa team and all these players lack match fitness. I have been in contact with the club coaches where they are training and hence I start now with intense training. We will be heading to the High Performance Centre in Pretoria before our departure for Dakar. Project 2019 continues,” Mannetti stated.
Lazarus Kaimbi and Sadney Urikhob were not considered as Mannetti feels he has enough stock to work with at the moment, while Willem Mwedihanga is yet to announce his availability. Some unattached players are still sorting out their contracts with clubs where they have been playing.
“I believe in what I have to work with at the moment. Absalom Iimbondi, Oswaldo Xamseb and Itamunua Keimuine came in and worked very hard during Cosafa 2016 and I feel they have the drive to succeed.
“Willem is still to come back to me and inform if he is ready to play. He was tired last time out and we respected his decision. We are in a special situation since its off-season still, but once the leagues start and you don’t have a club, you will not be considered,” Mannetti explained.
Mwedihanga asked to be excused for the Cosafa tournament this year citing fatigue.
Denzil Haoseb will miss the clash due to suspension.
The local-based players trains at the NFA Technical Centre until Thursday, before leaving for Pretoria to join the South African-based players. The team will depart for Dakar on 1 September, play on 3 September and return home two days later.
The following 20 Brave Warriors will travel to Senegal from which the match-18 will be selected: Max Mbaeva (Golden Arrows), Virgil Vries (Maritzburg United), Da Costa Angula (unattached), Chris Katjiukua (Golden Arrows), Ferdinand Karongee (Tigers), Tiberius Lombard (Tura Magic), Edmund Kambanda (UNAM), Oswaldo Xamseb (Tura Magic), Deon Hotto (Bloemfontein Celtic), Hendrick Somaeb (unattached), Petrus Shitembi (unattached), Absalom Iimbondi (Tigers), Larry Horaeb (Black Africa), Ananias Gebhardt (Jomo Cosmos, RSA), Wangu Gome (Bidvest Wits), Benson Shilongo (Platinum Stars), Dynamo Fredericks (Black Africa), Ronald Ketjijere (African Stars), Itamunua Keimuine (Tura Magic), Peter Shalulile (Highland Parks). – NFA.org.na