Ricardo Mannetti: Namibia are underdogs at CHAN 2018

by Phumzile Ngcatshe

Wednesday Jan 17, 2018. 09:30

Namibian national team coach Ricardo Mannetti has warned his team not to get carried away by their 1-0 win over Cote d’Ivoire on Sunday in the 2018 CAF African Nations Championship.

The Brave Warriors mentor says complacency will be their downfall and said they are still underdogs in the group.

Namibia occupies the second spot in Group B after the opening round of matches and will now meet Uganda in their second match on Thursday.

"We can't relax and think we've made it just because we beat Ivory Coast. We are still the underdogs trying to get out of a tough group," Mannetti told The Namibian Sport.

"This was hurdle number one, we've handled it properly and got a result. Uganda play differently from Ivory Coast, so our approach will also have to change.

"A victory against Ivory Coast gives Namibian people hope in our football. It has shocked a lot of people back home.

"Normally, we are not known to be tactically well organised. We are not known to get a result at big competitions like this one, so it has made people feel that there is hope for the future with the Afcon qualifiers coming up.”

The win over pre-tournament favourites, the Elephants has made the CHAN debutants the team to beat in Group B and inflated expectations back home.