Warriors brave enough for Zambia
Brave Warriors coach Ricardo Mannetti insists that his team will not fear Zambia in the Council of South Africa Football Associations (Cosafa) Cup tournament.
This is after Cosafa announced that Namibia would play their old foes in the quarter-finals of the tournament.
The 2015 champions are adamant that they can send Zambia packing based on their form and the players they have this year.
Cosafa on Wednesday announced the draw for the regional showpiece competition to be staged in South Africa's Limpopo province from 27 May to 9 June. Namibia will take on their nemesis Zambia in the quarterfinals and coach Mannetti calls it déjà vu.
“We played Zambia at the quarterfinals stage in 2015 when we went on to win our first Cosafa title and I hope that happens again.
“We also beat them in 2016 in the Plate final at home and we recently met at CHAN finals in Morocco and played a draw.
“We are sides that know each other very well and can't get enough of facing each other,” Mannetti said.
He added that he believed his side had the upper hand in their recent clashes.
“In the last five encounters we have been the better side and at Cosafa this year that should continue. They will be prepared and we will also be ready. The game goes on.”
Zimbabwe return as defending champions, having claimed a record fifth Cosafa Cup title in South Africa last year, and they will face the winner of Group B in the quarterfinals, which contains powerhouse Angola, Botswana, Mauritius and Malawi.
Hosts South Africa will take on the winner of Group A, which contains Mozambique, Madagascar, Comoros Islands and Seychelles. The other two quarterfinals will see four-time winners Zambia clash with Namibia and Lesotho take on Swaziland.
South Africa and Zambia have each claimed four titles in the Cosafa Cup competition before, while Angola have three and Namibia celebrated their single success in 2015.
- Additional reporting by NFA
This is after Cosafa announced that Namibia would play their old foes in the quarter-finals of the tournament.
The 2015 champions are adamant that they can send Zambia packing based on their form and the players they have this year.
Cosafa on Wednesday announced the draw for the regional showpiece competition to be staged in South Africa's Limpopo province from 27 May to 9 June. Namibia will take on their nemesis Zambia in the quarterfinals and coach Mannetti calls it déjà vu.
“We played Zambia at the quarterfinals stage in 2015 when we went on to win our first Cosafa title and I hope that happens again.
“We also beat them in 2016 in the Plate final at home and we recently met at CHAN finals in Morocco and played a draw.
“We are sides that know each other very well and can't get enough of facing each other,” Mannetti said.
He added that he believed his side had the upper hand in their recent clashes.
“In the last five encounters we have been the better side and at Cosafa this year that should continue. They will be prepared and we will also be ready. The game goes on.”
Zimbabwe return as defending champions, having claimed a record fifth Cosafa Cup title in South Africa last year, and they will face the winner of Group B in the quarterfinals, which contains powerhouse Angola, Botswana, Mauritius and Malawi.
Hosts South Africa will take on the winner of Group A, which contains Mozambique, Madagascar, Comoros Islands and Seychelles. The other two quarterfinals will see four-time winners Zambia clash with Namibia and Lesotho take on Swaziland.
South Africa and Zambia have each claimed four titles in the Cosafa Cup competition before, while Angola have three and Namibia celebrated their single success in 2015.
- Additional reporting by NFA
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