CIVICS head coach Helmuth Scharnowski expects to sleep well a few hours after his team has clinched victory over Angolan side Petro Atletico at the Independence Stadium in Windhoek on Saturday.
Civics meet the their premiership neighbours in a MTN CAF Champions League second-leg encounter, after they were defeated 0-1 in that country a fortnight ago. Scharnowski said he will be the happiest man at the end of the match on Saturday, as he has “so much confidence” in his team winning the second leg to reach a place in the next round of the club championships.”We will beat them when they come here.Our team looks good, the spirit is high and they have the right mentality,” he told The Namibian Sport after their victory over Tigers at the weekend.Scharnowski, who with the help of a string of assistant coaches has moulded the young Civics players into a powerful force in local football, said his players demonstrated a sense of winning in their last few matches and the match against the Angolans will be no different.Civics are coming out of two major victories in the MTC Namibia Premier league after beating Ramblers (3-0) and Tigers (3-1) to move to the top of the league.Sharnowski said they have a lot of players to choose from in the team, which has a mixture of senior and younger players.Civics are currently the defending champions of the NPL and are destined for their third consecutive league title if no team can stop them in their tracks before the end of the season in May.Civics re currently playing in their second CAF Champions League, after a successful stint that saw them past the first round of one of Africa’s toughest competitions last season.The side boasts with talented players, six of whom have been called up to the national side by coach Ben Bamfuchile for the African Nations Cup qualifiers next month.On paper, Civics have sharp attackers, with William Chilufya the danger man who scored twice at the weekend.Chilufya told The Namibian Sport that their opponents can be beaten.”I have no doubt that we will beat them.They are strong physical players, but we also have good skilful players who can outclass them in many respects, said the Zambian-born sharpshooter.He promised that he would score on the day, irrespective of the nature of the visitors’ defence.”I am going to hit the net and I am sure my team will win on the day,” he said.A bonus for Civics is the return of their dynamic midfielder Rudi Louw, who recently returned from Denmark after attending trials with a first-division team there.Louw did not make it because there were two other players that were already taken on board before his arrival there, according to Scharnowski.Louw, who has an appetite for goals if given room, is now expected to concentrate on taking his team to the next stage of the Champions League, while his efforts will also be of great importance during the side’s league campaign.In defence, Donnelly Nell has showed consistency and is a fantastic player who commands his backline with distinction.Nel, along with Franklin April, Ellington Tjirimuje, who formerly played for Wrexham in England as a midfielder, and possibly Mentos Hipondoka will be fielded to guard the rear line.Civics goalkeeper Mulife Sitali, who formerly played for African Stars, has shown that he is in a class of his own and some acrobatic saves are expected from him on Saturday.Midfielders Tugela Tuyeni, Jamu Ngatjizeko, Brian Gurirab and Brian Brendell are also key players in the side and will be required to dominate in that area.Civics’ sensational young striker Eusebio Fredericks, who is only 17, might be given a chance against the robust Angolan side.The three match officials are J.Sikaswe, K.Chichenga and B.Tempo, all from Zambia, while the match commissioner will be Dintle Mphele from Botswana.Kick-off is at 16h00.Scharnowski said he will be the happiest man at the end of the match on Saturday, as he has “so much confidence” in his team winning the second leg to reach a place in the next round of the club championships.”We will beat them when they come here.Our team looks good, the spirit is high and they have the right mentality,” he told The Namibian Sport after their victory over Tigers at the weekend.Scharnowski, who with the help of a string of assistant coaches has moulded the young Civics players into a powerful force in local football, said his players demonstrated a sense of winning in their last few matches and the match against the Angolans will be no different.Civics are coming out of two major victories in the MTC Namibia Premier league after beating Ramblers (3-0) and Tigers (3-1) to move to the top of the league.Sharnowski said they have a lot of players to choose from in the team, which has a mixture of senior and younger players.Civics are currently the defending champions of the NPL and are destined for their third consecutive league title if no team can stop them in their tracks before the end of the season in May.Civics re currently playing in their second CAF Champions League, after a successful stint that saw them past the first round of one of Africa’s toughest competitions last season.The side boasts with talented players, six of whom have been called up to the national side by coach Ben Bamfuchile for the African Nations Cup qualifiers next month.On paper, Civics have sharp attackers, with William Chilufya the danger man who scored twice at the weekend.Chilufya told The Namibian Sport that their opponents can be beaten.”I have no doubt that we will beat them.They are strong physical players, but we also have good skilful players who can outclass them in many respects, said the Zambian-born sharpshooter.He promised that he would score on the day, irrespective of the nature of the visitors’ defence.”I am going to hit the net and I am sure my team will win on the day,” he said.A bonus for Civics is the return of their dynamic midfielder Rudi Louw, who recently returned from Denmark after attending trials with a first-division team there.Louw did not make it because there were two other players that were already taken on board before his arrival there, according to Scharnowski.Louw, who has an appetite for goals if given room, is now expected to concentrate on taking his team to the next stage of the Champions League, while his efforts will also be of great importance during the side’s league campaign.In defence, Donnelly Nell has showed consistency and is a fantastic player who commands his backline with distinction.Nel, along with Franklin April, Ellington Tjirimuje, who formerly played for Wrexham in England as a midfielder, and possibly Mentos Hipondoka will be fielded to guard the rear line.Civics goalkeeper Mulife Sitali, who formerly played for African Stars, has shown that he is in a class of his own and some acrobatic saves are expected from him on Saturday.Midfielders Tugela Tuyeni, Jamu Ngatjizeko, Brian Gurirab and Brian Brendell are also key players in the side and will be required to dominate in that area.Civics’ sensational young striker Eusebio Fredericks, who is only 17, might be given a chance against the robust Angolan side.The three match officials are J.Sikaswe, K.Chichenga and B.Tempo, all from Zambia, while the match commissioner will be Dintle Mphele from Botswana.Kick-off is at 16h00.
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