Warriors feel Afcon heat

The Brave Warriors have to deliver the goods when they clash with Mozambique away on Saturday, after Zambia sailed past Guinea-Bissau via a 2-1 victory on Wednesday in Lusaka.Zambia's Afcon qualification Group K victory means the Brave Warriors, who are currently languishing at the bottom of the group, need to get some points on Saturday, before hosting Mozambique the following weekend in the return clash.Mozambique tops Group K on four points from two games, ahead of Zambia and Guinea-Bissau, who are on the same points but with an inferior goal difference.Namibia boasts one point after two clashes.It has become do-or-die for the Namibians, as their Afcon campaign now depends on them winning as many of their remaining matches as possible.The Warriors started off with a 0-1 loss against Guinea Bissau on 10 June in Bissau. They then played to a 1-1 draw against Zambia at the Sam Nujoma Stadium on 8 September.This was a match they could easily have won, were it not for the fitness levels of the players.The team has held a camp in South Africa for four days and was expected to travel to Maputo yesterday. When the training squad was announced a week ago, head coach Ricardo Mannetti implored the players to work on their mental fitness and to own the game.“We have depth and talent, but I just want the players to set their minds right and be up for the game.”He also stressed the fact that the home side has not enjoyed satisfying away results in the past and that the players need to work harder than the home team if we want to win. “We have a target, and that is to beat Mozambique away and at home, and then to also beat Guinea Bissau. That is our job,” he emphasised.Namibia's final home game will be against Guinea Bissau on 16 November and thereafter they will visit Zambia on 22 March 2019.The group winner and the runner-up will qualify for the 32nd edition of the Total African Cup of Nations to be played in Cameroon from 15 June to 13 July 2019.The Brave Warriors squad: Maximillian Mbaeva (Golden Arrows), Virgil Vries (Kaizer Chiefs), Lloyd Kazapua (Macabbi), Larry Horaeb (unattached), Emilio Martin (Black Africa), Tiberius Lombard (Lusaka Dynamos), Charles Hambira (Baroka), Denzil Haoseb (Highlands Park), Vitapi Ngaruka (Black Africa), Riaan Hanamub (Jomo Cosmos), Ananias Gebhardt (Baroka), Dynamo Fredericks (Black Africa), Petrus Shitembi (unattached), Ronald Ketjijere (African Stars), Wangu Batista Gome (Cape Umoya), Immanuel Heita (Black Africa), Absalom Iimbondi (Tigers), Deon Hotto (Bidvest Wits), Willy Stephanus (AC Kajaani, Finland), Marcel Papama (Unam), Muna Katupose (Unam), Sadney Urikhob (unattached) and Benson Shilongo (Smouha, Egypt).LIMBA MUPETAMI

Warriors feel Afcon heat

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Namibian Sun 2026-02-05

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Warriors feel Afcon heat

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Namibian Sun 2026-02-05

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