Gladiators banking on Nujoma’s spirit 

AN inspired Brave Gladiators team is determined to beat Eswatini at the Somhlolo National Stadium in Lobamba on Friday in honour of Namibia’s founding president Sam Nujoma. 

After a training session on Saturday, coach Woody Jacobs said his team was ready to make the nation proud and that they would be playing in Nujoma’s honour.

“The girls are looking great and one can see that they’ve been playing some football – the fact that the Super League is on is really great news and the girls have been active.

“I trust and believe in the quality of these girls and it’s also something that we want to do in the honour of our late founding father, who passed on last week. So we’ll be banking on his spirit to carry us through and we believe we can do that and make the nation proud,” he said. 

Jacobs said several senior players will not be available. 

“We are missing quite a few players – Emma Naris is nursing an injury from the Cosafa Cup, and she hasn’t recovered yet. Zeneta (Coleman) is also not in the squad, while Vewe Katjipati is also not coming.

“It’s unfortunate that we are missing the likes of Tulikondjela Amukoto and Thomalina Adams, who recently came back from police training and who’s doing an internship, so she’s also missing. But I always say that when there are people missing, there’s always opportunity for new ones to stake a claim. And I believe that we have what it takes,” he said. 

Jacobs has brought in several young players, including five under 21 players, while Nancy Lebang is the youngest at 18.

“We have to give the youngsters a chance, but we’re happy with the balance, it looks good and the youngsters also look good. It’s nice to see that they are really enjoying themselves with the national team and with the seniors, but we have good quality to bank on,” he said. 

“We  have the likes of Memory Ngonda, one of the stalwarts of the team, Yvonne Kooper, Juliana Blaauw, and Lovisa Mulunga, who wil be captaining the team. And Melissa Mattheus, obviously, they make up the more tried and tested ones that have been there and done that, not forgetting Lidia Nanamus,” he added. 

Jacobs said they will not underestimate Eswatini.

“They have grown tremendously, but we just beat them recently at the Cosafa Cup. We’re not resting on our laurels and we are approaching the game with the seriousness that it deserves, but I’m sure with the preparation that we are putting in and if we can stay injury free, we can beat them.”

The return leg takes place next Wednesday, 26 February at the Dobsonville Stadium in Soweto and the aggregate winner will go through to the next round against Zambia. 

Jacobs said he was determined to reach the Wafcon finals. 

“We will face Zambia when we go through, and after that we’ll qualify, which will be a first for Namibia because in our two previous attempts we reached the final round, but we missed out. Zambia has been our nemesis, but first we need to get clear the hurdle of Eswatini,” he said. 

The final Namibian squad is as follows:

Goalkeepers: 

Gwenneth Narises, Melissa Matheus, Sarafina #Khuruses.

Defenders:

Utuzuvira Kahiriri, Lydiana Nanamus, Iina Katuta, Lovisa Mulunga, Julia Rutjindo, Aune Andreas, Vijakura Tjingaete.

Midfielders:

Beverly Uueziua, Anna-Ida Somses, Shanice Daries, Hilma Kanyama, Memory Ngonda, Nancy Lebang, Milicent Hikuam, Asteria Angula.

Forwards: Fiona Vliete, Ivonne Kooper, Juliana Blou.