Namibia names a 23 men squad for WCQ

Deon Hotto of Namibia is challenged by Thamsanqa Mkhize of South Africa during the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations Finals match between South Africa and Namibia at Al Salam Stadium in Cairo, Egypt on 28 June 2019 © Ryan Wilkisky/BackpagePix

by Staff Reporter

Sunday Sep 01, 2019. 14:00

Namibia trimmed their squad down to 23 players as they left on Sunday for Asmara for the first leg of their World Cup qualifier away against Eritrea on Wednesday.

Having left out European-based players Ryan Nyambe and Manfred Starke to allow them to concentrate on their club places, and Jomo Cosmos’s Riaan Hanamub, whose mother and sister died last month in a horror car accident, caretaker coach Bobby Samaria was forced to make more omissions from the squad that competed at the Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt in June.

“It was not easy to select this team. We have players missing with injuries and some on trial across the world. Petrus Shitembi is in Germany and Denzil Haoseb in Morocco for trials and hence unavailable for the game. But Namibia is blessed with talent and now the players in have to step up and deliver,” Samaria told his association’s website.

“I believe in these guys to go and do the job and see how far we can go in this qualifiers. Some players are unattached and this also gives them the platform to raise their hands and maybe get noticed for their immense talent”, he added.

Chris Katjiukua from Black Leopards in South Africa has been recalled after missing out on Egypt, as is former Kaizer Chiefs goalkeeper Virgil Vries, currently without a club.

The return leg is at the Sam Nujoma Stadium in Windhoek on September 10.

Squad:

Goalkeepers: Loydt Kazapua (Baroka FC, South Africa), Ratanda Mbazuvara (African Stars), Virgil Vries (unattached)

Defenders: Larry Horaeb (Tura Magic), Ivan Kamberipa (African Stars), Chris Katjiukua (Black Leopards, South Africa), Teberius Lombard (Zanaco, Zambia), Vitapi Ngaruka (Black Africa), Aprocious Petrus (Eleven Arrows)

Midfielders: Obrey Amseb (African Stars), Gregory Aukumeb (Blue Waters), Dynamo Fredericks, Immanuel Heita (both Black Africa), Deon Hotto (Bidvest Wits, South Africa), Joslyn Kamatuka (Cape Umoya United, South Africa), Marcel Papama (African Stars), Llewelyn Stanley (Tigers FC), Willy Stephanus (Lusaka Dynamos)

Strikers: Elmo Kambindu (Mighty Gunners), Wendell Rudath (Black Africa), Peter Shalulile (Highlands Park), Benson Shilongo (Ismaili, Egypt), Hendrik Somaeb (unattached).