No stone unturned

Former Brave Gladiators captain and current coach, Uerikondjera Mamie Kasaona, says she did the groundwork in terms of fitness way before the group draw took place for the upcoming Cosafa women's championship, which begins in South Africa 31 July and ends on 11 August.She said the squad will be out for blood, when the tournament starts.Kasaona who played over 90 times for the national team, is assisted by former Brave Warriors player Robert Nauseb.“We started with fitness training some time back. I'm very happy with the response from the players, because not only did they comply with the early morning long jogs, but overall they really put in work,” Kasaona said.The player-turned-coach, who was busy putting the final touches to the squad at the NFA Technical Centre, said she was disappointed with the results at last year's tournament. The Gladiators exited the tournament in the group stages last year, despite showing incredible character. They lost 0-1 to Zimbabwe in their first match. That encounter was followed by a disappointing 0-0 draw against Uganda. In this match they had opportunities to score, but lady luck was not on their side. In their third match, the Namibians surprised by fighting back from a goal down to register a 4-1 victory over eSwatini. “I could not travel with the team as a player, due to personal commitments, but the opportunity to coach the side has come and I will use my experience to guide the ladies forward. “This year is different. This time around I have a full house, with the likes of Annoushka Kordom, who plies her trade in the US, Zenatha Coleman who plays in Spain and German-based player Vewe Kotjipati, who is still to join the team,” said Kasaona.“We cannot depend on one player, but we have to work as a unit; after all, football is a team sport.”The Gladiators will be participating alongside hosts and defending champions South Africa, Angola, Botswana, the Comoros, eSwatini, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Seychelles, Zimbabwe and Zambia.The Namibians are drawn in Group B, where they will face the likes of Zambia, Botswana and Mauritius.The teams are split into three groups with four sides each. The top team in each pool will advance to the semi-finals, along with the best-placed runners-up.All the participating countries are wary of South Africa's capabilities, as they beat Cameroon last year in the final, and will be among the favourites again. The South Africans are going for a hat-trick of titles, after also lifting the title in 2017 in Zimbabwe.They are the team to beat and have just returned from the Fifa Women's World Cup held in France will a bag full of confidence. “We are not in the same group as them, but of course everyone knows the healthy but competitive rivalry we have. The ball is round and we will take each match as it comes,” Kasaona said. As prepared as the Gladiators are, they will be without Emma Naris, the vice-captain, who is suffering from a groin injury. “Naris never missed training. She would always come and cheer on the other players from the sidelines. That's real teamwork. It's really a pity that we will be without her. “She is a true leader on the field. She's really hardworking and commands the other players. The girls need to also go out and play for her,” Kasaona added. The 23-woman squad is expected to leave for the tournament today.LIMBA MUPETAMI

No stone unturned

Comments

Namibian Sun 2025-12-16

Please login to leave a comment

No stone unturned

Comments

Namibian Sun 2025-12-16

Please login to leave a comment

Subscription Required to Access Content ×

Login

Subscription Required to Access Content