Namibia to take on Ghana in international friendly

The Brave Warriors of Namibia will lock horns with the Black Stars of Ghana in an international soccer friendly at the Ohene Djan Stadium in Accra, Ghana pegged for March 25.

The Brave Warriors coach Ricardo Mannetti has named five new players in his 20-man squad.

Mannetti said his team is a mixture of youth and experience which will bode well for the upcoming tournaments in the year such as the COSAFA Cup and the 2016 African nations Championship qualifiers.

"The squad sees some new players that have impressed in the MTC Premiership while some national team regulars who are not seeing game time at their respective clubs were overlooked this time," he said.

The new faces in the team are defender Charles Hambira (Tura Magic), midfielders Gregory Aukumeb (Blue Waters), and Robert Nganjone and Joslin Kamatuka (African Stars), and striker Nicky Musambani (Orlando Pirates).

Meanwhile notable senior players missing include Rudolf Bester, Da Costa Angula and Hendrik Somaeb from Free State Stars, Jerome Louis of Township Rollers and Freedom Puriza and Heini Isaacs who recently returned to Namibia from South African clubs. Puriza now with African Stars and Isaacks strutting his stuff for Black Africa.

The coach told the media that Thailand-based Lazarus Kaimbi was in the initial squad but had to withdraw, with former Amazulu marksman and now Civics striker Sadney Urikhob getting the nod to replace Kaimbi.

The Brave Warriors squad is as follows:

Goalkeepers - Virgil Vries, Max Mbaeva.

Defenders - Denzil Haoseb, Chris Katjiukua, Willem Mwedihanga, Ananias Gebhardt, Denis Tjetinda, Charles Hambira.

Midfielders - Gregory Auchumeb, Peter Shalulile, Robert Nganjone, Joslin Kamatuka, Wangu Gome, Petrus Shitembi, Ronald Ketjijere, Deon Hotto.

Forwards - Sadney Urikhob, Benson Shilongo, Henrico Botes, Nicky Musambani. Endit