Warriors aim to upset in Cosafa

WINDHOEK – The Brave Warriors have the potential to upset THEIR competitors in this year’s edition of the Council of Southern Africa Football Association (Cosafa) Cup, according to assistant coach Brian Isaacs.

Isaacs said the senior national football team’s chances in the sub-continental showpiece are good, considering the pace at which the team has improved since last year. Namibia has been pitted against Angola, Botswana and Lesotho in Group C.Their first match is on August 11 in Gaborone, Botswana, against the home team.According to Isaacs, all these countries have improved a lot and are capable of upsetting each other during one of the legs of the tournament which will be played in Botswana.But Isaacs is confident that the Brave Warriors have improved immensely after Ben Bamfuchile took over the reigns as head coach.”We are competitive and we stand a very good chance to go through to the next stage,” he said.He is adamant that Namibia can stand its ground against 2006 Fifa World Cup finalists Angola and can compete at the same level, despite the Angolans, who have picked up valuable experience in both the World Cup and the Nations Cup tournaments.The Brave Warriors lost to Botswana (1-0) in an international friendly earlier this month, but Isaacs is nevertheless confident that the team will improve on that defeat.Asked which areas the national team’s technical committee has identified as problematic, Isaacs said that such areas have not been identified yet but singled out the midfielders who lack self-confidence and concentration.He added that at times the “players are on the field but their minds often not part of it and as a result lose focus of the game”.”Technically, the defence has improved a lot adding that they (technical committee) will accommodate the foreign-based professional players,” he said.Should the Brave Warriors beat Botswana they will face the winner between Angola and Lesotho.For the past three years, the Warriors have failed to proceed beyond the first round of the competition.Zambian-born Bamfuchile is presented with a second chance to improve the record of the Brave Warriors in the sub-continental showdown, which carries a lucrative prize of over a million dollars for the winner.In last year’s edition, the Brave Warriors lost in penalty shoot-out to Seychelles, before they went on to beat Malawi 3-1 in a match for the third spot.NampaNamibia has been pitted against Angola, Botswana and Lesotho in Group C.Their first match is on August 11 in Gaborone, Botswana, against the home team.According to Isaacs, all these countries have improved a lot and are capable of upsetting each other during one of the legs of the tournament which will be played in Botswana.But Isaacs is confident that the Brave Warriors have improved immensely after Ben Bamfuchile took over the reigns as head coach.”We are competitive and we stand a very good chance to go through to the next stage,” he said.He is adamant that Namibia can stand its ground against 2006 Fifa World Cup finalists Angola and can compete at the same level, despite the Angolans, who have picked up valuable experience in both the World Cup and the Nations Cup tournaments.The Brave Warriors lost to Botswana (1-0) in an international friendly earlier this month, but Isaacs is nevertheless confident that the team will improve on that defeat.Asked which areas the national team’s technical committee has identified as problematic, Isaacs said that such areas have not been identified yet but singled out the midfielders who lack self-confidence and concentration.He added that at times the “players are on the field but their minds often not part of it and as a result lose focus of the game”.”Technically, the defence has improved a lot adding that they (technical committee) will accommodate the foreign-based professional players,” he said.Should the Brave Warriors beat Botswana they will face the winner between Angola and Lesotho.For the past three years, the Warriors have failed to proceed beyond the first round of the competition.Zambian-born Bamfuchile is presented with a second chance to improve the record of the Brave Warriors in the sub-continental showdown, which carries a lucrative prize of over a million dollars for the winner.In last year’s edition, the Brave Warriors lost in penalty shoot-out to Seychelles, before they went on to beat Malawi 3-1 in a match for the third spot.Nampa