Young Warriors take on champions Ghana

NAMIBIA’S national under-20 men’s football team will face reigning World and African
youth champions Ghana in the first leg of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) under-20 Youth Championship qualifier.

The team will play the first leg away on July 25 with the return leg set for August 8 in Windhoek. The youngsters met with Sport Minister Kazenambo Kazenambo yesterday, and he motivated them to be fearless of their physically imposing opponents and play to the best of their ability. ‘If your psychology is filled with negativity then you will get negative results,’ Kazenambo told them.’Push yourself to greater heights. Be disciplined and realise that you as youngsters can benefit yourselves as an individual, your country and the global community through sports.’The Director of Sport, Vetumbuavi Veii, echoed his minister’s message, saying ‘it is a learning process’ and adding that they too could become world-beaters like the Ghanaians. ‘Don’t be intimidated. Just go and play your football,’ Veii said.Joseph Nairenge, the team’s captain, said they were looking forward to engaging their more illustrious opponents.’We will give a good account of ourselves. We have been preparing very well for this match,’ he said.The Young Warriors recently played two friendlies against Botswana, winning 2-0 and losing 2-1, and will now play South Africa in another warm-up game on Tuesday before leaving for Ghana next Thursday.Namibia Football Association (NFA) secretary general Barry Rukoro said the ‘future Brave Warriors’ were under ‘no illusions of the task ahead’. He said Ghana are a formidable team with a renowned football pedigree on the continent and in the world. Ghana’s senior team controversially lost out on a semi-final place to Uruguay during the Fifa World Cup in South Africa.’We have a team for the future. In two or three years, they’ll represent the senior team,’ Rukoro added.The Namibians boast a number of players currently plying their trade in the top domestic league, including African Stars’ league and cup double winning duo of Colin Ndjaii and Ikuaterua Tjozongoro, Civic’s Eslin Kamuhanga, Willy Stephanus and Roger Katjiteo of Black Africa, Sidney Urikhob of Orlando Pirates and Benson Shilongo of Oshakati City.The full under-20 team is: Colin Ndjaii, Eslin Kamuhanga, Sackeus Wilbard, Steven Sabatha, Larry Horaeb, Robinson Iyambo, Tariq Classen, Alfeus Handura, Neville Tjiueza, Gerson Asheelo, Edward Akwaake, Ikwaterua Tjozongoro, Willy Stephanus, Roger Katjiteo, Sidney Urikhob, Denzyl Hoaseb, Benson Shilongo, Gregorious Tuseb and Joseph Nairenge (captain).