Gladiators relish hosting Angolan club Progresso

The Brave Gladiators are hosting Angolan club side Progresso this weekend, with two friendly matches scheduled for today and Sunday. These matches will help the hosts to prepare for the 2014 CAF Africa Women’s Championship, which will be played in Windhoek from October 11 to 25. The Angolan side arrived in Namibia yesterday and is staying at the Safari Hotel. They will take on the Gladiators in their first match at the Namibia Football Association’s (NFA) Technical Centre at 16:30 today while the second match is scheduled for Sunday at 15:30 at the Sam Nujoma Stadium. According to Brave Gladiators head coach Jaqueline Shipanga, the idea is to expose the Gladiators to different styles of play since the team can expect tough competition at the championship in October. “We have been training for over a month now and the girls have been working very hard [while] we are waiting to hear [who] the seven teams that are coming down for the championship [will be],” Shipanga said. “We know that it will be the best of them and we must prepare very well for them. [We want to] spring a surprise or two against them and so playing Progresso is a boost for us as they have players from Cameroon and DR Congo in their ranks. About 90% of the Angola national team is [also] made up of players from Progresso,” she added. Shipanga adds that the other attributes of Progresso are also invaluable: “They are a very physical side, they train every day and have all the materials at their disposal. In fact [they are] better than most national teams in Africa and their depth is incredible. They are a very tactical team and we need to take them on and learn a thing or two from them and try to improve our own game.” Tomorrow, the two teams will have a “sharing of practices” session, where both teams will be looking at what they can learn from how the other trains. The Gladiators team will be comprised of senior and young players but will be without the Germany-based trio of Vewe Kotjipati, Lorraine Jossop and Thomalina Adams. Shipanga explains that the trio will only join the rest of the national team in April when the Brave Gladiators are set to play the German Under-18 side. “For this weekend, players that are here will be considered and are expected to do the job well,” she said. The Gladiators played Progresso in Luanda last November and after a one-all draw, Progresso won 5-4 on penalties in the match that formed part of Angola’s 38th independence anniversary.