Warriors out to upset Angola

THE Brave Warriors will go into their Cosafa Castle Cup knock-out match against Angola on Sunday with their hopes pinned entirely on whatever goal-scoring chance they get.

This year’s Warriors team taking part in the regional competition is relatively inexperienced and face an uphill battle in their quest to upset the northern neighbours. Angola is fielding nine foreign-based professionals for the encounter.The only professionals expected to turn up for the Brave Warriors are Oliver Risser, who plays for Germany’s Borussia Dortmund’s reserve side and Mohammed Ouseb, formerly of Lyn Oslo in Norway.Two other foreign-based players (Collin Benjamin and Robert Nauseb) are not available due to injury, while Ricardo Mannetti, Razundara Tjikuzu and Dumisa Jantze have opted to feature for their clubs this weekend.Despite the absence of these players, the youthful Namibian side can draw inspiration from Ouseb, who is also known as Slice.The defender is the most experienced in the side with 64 caps, while the skipper, Richard Gariseb is the second most experienced at that level.Gariseb, who plays for Orlando Pirates in the domestic league, has close to 40 caps behind his name, and has been playing a pivotal role in defence for his country.Third in line is Civics striker Floris Diergaardt, who has done duty for the country also on more than 30 occasions, while goalkeeper Esau Tjiuoro, midfielder Victor Helu and striker Berlin Auchumeb can also add their weight in terms of experience.Namibia has exciting players such as goalkeeper Arnold Subeb who has now overshadowed Tjiuoro in goal, while striker Jean Paul Dos Santos, who will go into his second international match, is expected to prove a handful for the Angolans.The Warriors will also rely on the talented attacking midfielder Brian Gurirab of Chief Santos, while the ever-consistent Victor Helu will vie for possession in the middle of the park.Warriors team manager Sandro de Gouveia was satisfied with the level of fitness and the spirit in the camp ahead of the match at the Estadio Nacional de Cdadela in Luanda.He said although they will have problems with humidity in Angola, they are prepared to take on the challenges that will be presented to them.De Gouveia said it could have been ideal if the team had more time to prepare and face other opponents in preparation for the encounter.He said most of the players in the side have the potential to become excellent players, but need time to play together regularly, in order to know what is expected from them when they play for the national team.Namibia Football Association Secretary-General Alpheus Gaweseb said the players showed they can do a decent job when they played against Botswana in a friendly last week on Wednesday.”They can spring a surprise for the Angolans.I strongly believe they have the ability to that,” he said.Golden Bees FC chairman, Imms Tjipura said the Namibians should concentrate for the first 25 minutes.”If they can do this, then they will settle in the match as Angola and its supporters will try to intimidate them during the opening minutes,” he said.Namibia has so far gone once to the final of the Cosafa Castle Cup competition when they lost 2-1 to Angola on aggregate in 1999, while they also reached the semi final once, but were knocked out by Mozambique (2-1) in 1998.In 2000, Namibia lost 3-2 against Zimbabwe in the first round, then fell to Mauritius 1-0 also in the first round the following year.In 2002, the Warriors were shamed in front of their home fans at the Independence Stadium through a 2-1 defeat by Swaziland, with Botswana axing them 1 – 0 last year at the same venue.Brave Warriors team for Angola Goalkeepers: Arnold Subeb, Esau ‘Pitso’ Tjiuoro Defenders: Richard ‘Rhuu’ Gariseb (captain), Eric Aoseb, Jason Petrus, Amos Shiyuka, Mohammed ‘Slice’ Ouseb, Moses Katjiteo and Steven Tjeenao.Midfielders: Victor ‘Vickey’ Helu, Brian Gurirab, Oliver Risser, Johannes Hawala, Donny Isaacs, Rudolf Bester, Berlin ‘Pancho’ Auchumeb, Wilhelm ‘Dokkies’ Schmidt, Jean Paul Dos Santos and Floris ‘Flokies; Diergaardt.Angola is fielding nine foreign-based professionals for the encounter.The only professionals expected to turn up for the Brave Warriors are Oliver Risser, who plays for Germany’s Borussia Dortmund’s reserve side and Mohammed Ouseb, formerly of Lyn Oslo in Norway.Two other foreign-based players (Collin Benjamin and Robert Nauseb) are not available due to injury, while Ricardo Mannetti, Razundara Tjikuzu and Dumisa Jantze have opted to feature for their clubs this weekend.Despite the absence of these players, the youthful Namibian side can draw inspiration from Ouseb, who is also known as Slice.The defender is the most experienced in the side with 64 caps, while the skipper, Richard Gariseb is the second most experienced at that level.Gariseb, who plays for Orlando Pirates in the domestic league, has close to 40 caps behind his name, and has been playing a pivotal role in defence for his country.Third in line is Civics striker Floris Diergaardt, who has done duty for the country also on more than 30 occasions, while goalkeeper Esau Tjiuoro, midfielder Victor Helu and striker Berlin Auchumeb can also add their weight in terms of experience.Namibia has exciting players such as goalkeeper Arnold Subeb who has now overshadowed Tjiuoro in goal, while striker Jean Paul Dos Santos, who will go into his second international match, is expected to prove a handful for the Angolans.The Warriors will also rely on the talented attacking midfielder Brian Gurirab of Chief Santos, while the ever-consistent Victor Helu will vie for possession in the middle of the park.Warriors team manager Sandro de Gouveia was satisfied with the level of fitness and the spirit in the camp ahead of the match at the Estadio Nacional de Cdadela in Luanda.He said although they will have problems with humidity in Angola, they are prepared to take on the challenges that will be presented to them.De Gouveia said it could have been ideal if the team had more time to prepare and face other opponents in preparation for the encounter.He said most of the players in the side have the potential to become excellent players, but need time to play together regularly, in order to know what is expected from them when they play for the national team.Namibia Football Association Secretary-General Alpheus Gaweseb said the players showed they can do a decent job when they played against Botswana in a friendly last week on Wednesday.”They can spring a surprise for the Angolans.I strongly believe they have the ability to that,” he said.Golden Bees FC chairman, Imms Tjipura said the Namibians should concentrate for the first 25 minutes.”If they can do this, then they will settle in the match as Angola and its supporters will try to intimidate them during the opening minutes,” he said.Namibia has so far gone once to the final of the Cosafa Castle Cup competition when they lost 2-1 to Angola on aggregate in 1999, while they also reached the semi final once, but were knocked out by Mozambique (2-1) in 1998.In 2000, Namibia lost 3-2 against Zimbabwe in the first round, then fell to Mauritius 1-0 also in the first round the following year.In 2002, the Warriors were shamed in front of their home fans at the Independence Stadium through a 2-1 defeat by Swaziland, with Botswana axing them 1 – 0 last year at the same venue. Brave Warriors team for Angola Goalkeepers: Arnold Subeb, Esau ‘Pitso’ Tjiuoro Defenders: Richard ‘Rhuu’ Gariseb (captain), Eric Aoseb, Jason Petrus, Amos Shiyuka, Mohammed ‘Slice’ Ouseb, Moses Katjiteo and Steven Tjeenao.Midfielders: Victor ‘Vickey’ Helu, Brian Gurirab, Oliver Risser, Johannes Hawala, Donny Isaacs, Rudolf Bester, Berlin ‘Pancho’ Auchumeb, Wilhelm ‘Dokkies’ Schmidt, Jean Paul Dos Santos and Floris ‘Flokies; Diergaardt.