Warriors to face Cosmos

THE Brave Warriors will play a warm-up match against South Africa’s Jomo Cosmos next Wednesday, before they depart to Ethiopia for their all-important African Nations Cup qualifier in that country.

Namibia’s team manager Tim Isaacs confirmed to The Namibian Sport yesterday that the fixture against the South African Premier League side is scheduled for September 5 in Johannesburg. He said the match would be the only warm-up encounter before the Warriors fly to Addis Ababa the following day.The Warriors are behind schedule in their training programme and decided to start the preparations for the Ethiopia match last Saturday.Only 15 local players are currently in camp, while the foreign-based players are expected to join the team in Johannesburg on Monday.Isaacs said Namibia’s midfielder at Jomo Cosmos, Sidney Plaatjies, will turn out for the Warriors, while the other player at that side, Namibian goalkeeper Abisai Shiningayamwe, will not be available due to injury.At this stage, the technical staff has not decided on which of the 24 players who have been called will get the chop, as only 18 players will travel abroad.Six players will be dropped for the final group which will tour Ethiopia on September 6 from Johannesburg.The player that will most likely get the chop is young African Stars goalie Maxmillian Mbaeva, who has not yet played at senior level, with Athiel Mbaha and Efraim Tjihonge gunning for the position between the sticks.Mbaeva is the youngest member in the team at this stage.In other positions, the technical staff will have a tough time to decide who will stay home, as all the players have shown enough character to be included in the national team.Players who will certainly be included are Norwegian-based midfielder Quinton Jacobs, who came back from the wilderness after blasting the coaches for being unprofessional.He was included in the side after reaching a compromise with coach Ben Bamfuchile.South African-based defender Richard Gariseb, who also earlier expressed unhappiness about the running of the Warriors, will also make the cut, possibly at the expense of either Gottlieb Nakuta or Chris Katjiukua.Isaacs said some of the current 15 players in camp have shown that they are fit enough, while two or three players are not up to it yet.He said fitness will be one of the most important factors that will carry the team if Namibia aims to qualify.Namibia currently are in second spot with 7 points after the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), who are on 8 points in the first position in Group 10.If DRC lose against Libya and Namibia beat Ethiopia, the Warriors’ entry into the 2008 Africa Nations Cup in Ghana will be guaranteed.He said the match would be the only warm-up encounter before the Warriors fly to Addis Ababa the following day.The Warriors are behind schedule in their training programme and decided to start the preparations for the Ethiopia match last Saturday.Only 15 local players are currently in camp, while the foreign-based players are expected to join the team in Johannesburg on Monday.Isaacs said Namibia’s midfielder at Jomo Cosmos, Sidney Plaatjies, will turn out for the Warriors, while the other player at that side, Namibian goalkeeper Abisai Shiningayamwe, will not be available due to injury.At this stage, the technical staff has not decided on which of the 24 players who have been called will get the chop, as only 18 players will travel abroad.Six players will be dropped for the final group which will tour Ethiopia on September 6 from Johannesburg.The player that will most likely get the chop is young African Stars goalie Maxmillian Mbaeva, who has not yet played at senior level, with Athiel Mbaha and Efraim Tjihonge gunning for the position between the sticks.Mbaeva is the youngest member in the team at this stage.In other positions, the technical staff will have a tough time to decide who will stay home, as all the players have shown enough character to be included in the national team.Players who will certainly be included are Norwegian-based midfielder Quinton Jacobs, who came back from the wilderness after blasting the coaches for being unprofessional.He was included in the side after reaching a compromise with coach Ben Bamfuchile.South African-based defender Richard Gariseb, who also earlier expressed unhappiness about the running of the Warriors, will also make the cut, possibly at the expense of either Gottlieb Nakuta or Chris Katjiukua.Isaacs said some of the current 15 players in camp have shown that they are fit enough, while two or three players are not up to it yet.He said fitness will be one of the most important factors that will carry the team if Namibia aims to qualify.Namibia currently are in second spot with 7 points after the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), who are on 8 points in the first position in Group 10.If DRC lose against Libya and Namibia beat Ethiopia, the Warriors’ entry into the 2008 Africa Nations Cup in Ghana will be guaranteed.