BA, Ramblers to rumble

BLACK Africa captain Lolo Goraseb yesterday made a promise that the team will win the FNB Cup for their fans, but Ramblers captain Michael Pienaar, did not agree.

Pienaar said his team is not aiming for any penalty shootout in the lucrative final, which will be held at the Independence Stadium on Saturday, but that they will oust BA “fair and square” in normal playing time. “We are very serious and we want to win this cup.So I promise our many supporters that the cup will become ours on Saturday,” said Goraseb.Pienaar countered that they will “finish BA off” because his teammates are in top form and there are no injuries.Goraseb added that he is excited about the final and urged all to come and witness football at its best, while Pienaar said although his team does not have as many supporters as BA, they still want to see a packed stadium.Asked about their strategies for the match, both captains preferred top keep quiet, but Goraseb said they have a plan worked out for Ramblers.”They won’t know what will hit them.We want that cup,” he added.Goraseb added that although their strikers have not been as impressive as their counterparts, especially in the league, they will go all out for goals.”For this final, the way to go is to score goals.We have to score and we are going to do just that,” said the former Brave Warriors player.Pienaar said at the moment they have 24 players in the Ramblers squad and only 18 will be considered for the final.”Everyone has to work hard to keep a place in the team and I am sure we will have our best team on the day,” he said.Both Ramblers and Black Africa have credible records in the league, with both teams standing on ten points from their six matches, but the cup final is expected to dish out the unexpected as both teams have formidable players.The FNB Cup carries a prize tag of N$170 000 for the winner, while the runners-up will walk away with N$70 000.FNB spokesman Cassius Moetie said the gates will open at 13h00, with entertainment throughout the day.A curtain-raiser will see a team of Parliamentarians and business executives taking the field at 15h30, before the final kicks off at 18h00.Moetie said people should come early to avoid congestion at the gates.He said the prize giving will be held after the match, where prizes will be handed to the Player of the Series, Top Goal Scorer, Best Goalkeeper and Match Official of the Series.GORASEB ON WARRIORS Meanwhile, Goraseb has said he would be more than willing to be part of the Brave Warriors as a player if selected to go to the African Nations Cup in Ghana next year.”It all depends on the technical staff.I respect the process of building the new Brave Warriors and I also respect the decisions of the coaches,” he said.He said the Warriors have a lot of quality players who can play in different positions, but believes that it is important for Namibia to look beyond Ghana.”I think we should look at the World Cup and in the process also support the team, the coaching staff and everybody who is committed to make a success of this team,” he said.Meanwhile, Warriors team manager Tim Isaacs said the door was still open for players who can make the team before the competition starts in Ghana on January 21.”If at the weekend the players impress the technical staff, they can easily be chosen to be part of the training group,” he said.NFA acting Secretary General Barry Rukoro said the FNB Cup final would be a memorable occasion, as BA traditionally draw a big crowd, while the same will be expected from Ramblers because of their long and illustrious football history.”We are very serious and we want to win this cup.So I promise our many supporters that the cup will become ours on Saturday,” said Goraseb.Pienaar countered that they will “finish BA off” because his teammates are in top form and there are no injuries.Goraseb added that he is excited about the final and urged all to come and witness football at its best, while Pienaar said although his team does not have as many supporters as BA, they still want to see a packed stadium.Asked about their strategies for the match, both captains preferred top keep quiet, but Goraseb said they have a plan worked out for Ramblers.”They won’t know what will hit them.We want that cup,” he added.Goraseb added that although their strikers have not been as impressive as their counterparts, especially in the league, they will go all out for goals.”For this final, the way to go is to score goals.We have to score and we are going to do just that,” said the former Brave Warriors player.Pienaar said at the moment they have 24 players in the Ramblers squad and only 18 will be considered for the final.”Everyone has to work hard to keep a place in the team and I am sure we will have our best team on the day,” he said.Both Ramblers and Black Africa have credible records in the league, with both teams standing on ten points from their six matches, but the cup final is expected to dish out the unexpected as both teams have formidable players.The FNB Cup carries a prize tag of N$170 000 for the winner, while the runners-up will walk away with N$70 000.FNB spokesman Cassius Moetie said the gates will open at 13h00, with entertainment throughout the day.A curtain-raiser will see a team of Parliamentarians and business executives taking the field at 15h30, before the final kicks off at 18h00.Moetie said people should come early to avoid congestion at the gates.He said the prize giving will be held after the match, where prizes will be handed to the Player of the Series, Top Goal Scorer, Best Goalkeeper and Match Official of the Series.GORASEB ON WARRIORS Meanwhile, Goraseb has said he would be more than willing to be part of the Brave Warriors as a player if selected to go to the African Nations Cup in Ghana next year.”It all depends on the technical staff.I respect the process of building the new Brave Warriors and I also respect the decisions of the coaches,” he said.He said the Warriors have a lot of quality players who can play in different positions, but believes that it is important for Namibia to look beyond Ghana.”I think we should look at the World Cup and in the process also support the team, the coaching staff and everybody who is committed to make a success of this team,” he said.Meanwhile, Warriors team manager Tim Isaacs said the door was still open for players who can make the team before the competition starts in Ghana on January 21.”If at the weekend the players impress the technical staff, they can easily be chosen to be part of the training group,” he said.NFA acting Secretary General Barry Rukoro said the FNB Cup final would be a memorable occasion, as BA traditionally draw a big crowd, while the same will be expected from Ramblers because of their long and illustrious football history.