Namibia coach Ricardo Mannetti has said his side have the edge over Zambia ahead of Saturday’s Cosafa Cup quarter final clash in South Africa.
While many would have expected either South Africa or Zimbabwe to have a better head to head over Zambia, it’s Mannetti’s men that hold the upper hand over the 2012 AFCON Champions
The Brave Warriors have become Zambia’s nemesis in the last three years boasting of four wins from six matches.
Namibia recorded back to back Cosafa Cup quarter final victories and that included in 2015 on their way to their first regional title.
“Obviously we want to win the tournament, but for now we are just focussing on Zambia,” Mannetti said.
“Beating them would mean that we are in the semifinals and it will also mean that we continue the psychological superiority that we have over them, which will be especially advantageous going into the Afcon qualifiers when we meet Zambia again in September,” the Brave Warriors said with one eye to the September African Cup of Nations qualifiers.
Zambia has sent a new look squad at this year’s regional tournament with only three players surviving from the 2017 edition.
Regarding the Zambian squad that has been selected, Mannetti said Zambia had a lot of depth and would start the match as the favourites.
“Zambia has so much depth and whatever team they come up with is just as good as the other team and we are not taking it lightly whatsoever, even though the stats have been on our side over the past four or five years.
They are still a giant in the region, they have won more Cosafa Cups than us, so that still makes them the favourites, going into the game, but we are so positive and prepared very well to make sure that we get a victory tomorrow,” he said.
“I think the players are confident and they are calm, and its definitely better than last year when the mentality was not good. This year it’s a different situation, it’s more positive and I like that – with positivity you can move mountains and we expect to surprise a lot of people once more,” he added.
Meanwhile stand in Chipolopolo coach Beston Chambeshi has labeled Namibia as a stubborn team which has made a lot of progress.
“Namibia has been a stubborn team against us ever since we started playing against them. They have grown so we have to respect them, but they should respect us too, because Zambia is not a small team in terms of football,” he said.
give them a good scoreline boys…..shut em up!!!!!
The day you start respecting or fearing the likes of Namibia in football, ninshi Namupwa sana, you are not even worthy the boots you use in football.
How can you go to AFCON to play Egypt, Cameroon, Nigeria, Ghana and Algeria if you are scared of Namibia?
How can you go to the World Cup to play the Netherlands, Brazil, Japan, Argentina, Spain, Uruguay, England, Germany, Italy and the like if you respect Namibia.
Chiweme fye this is just COSAFA, which should justifiably be used to expose fringe players. let those teams that have nothing to offer like Namibia use their best for it is only at COSAFA where they can play.