Namibia coach adjusts injury-ridden squad for Niger game

Namibia has named a 26-man squad which will be trimmed down to 18 for the game against Niger on June 4 in Windhoek.

Coach Ricardo Mannetti had included four goalkeepers, Edward Maova, David Peterson, Max Mbaeva and Virgil Vries, but Mannetti said Friday that Maova is out of the camp.

"Maova fractured his toe at the training camp and will be out for two weeks. He is a promising goalkeeper and was surely going to keep the other guys on their toes," he said.

The Brave Warriors will take on Niger at the Sam Nujoma Stadium in their 2017 AFCON Qualifiers Group K encounter and Mannetti is already sweating over other injured players including Free State Stars striker, Hendrick Somaeb, while reliable defender Chris Katjiukua has been ruled out due to suspension.

Mannetti said Somaeb will have to be assessed by the Brave Warriors medical team on a recent injured he is nursing.

To add to the list, Mannetti said that already out of the squad are the University of Pretoria pair of Ketjijere and Mwedihanga, Amazulu's Petrus Shitembi and Peter Shalulile of Highland Park, while Thailand-based Lazarus Kaimbi and Sadney Urikhob have not been considered due to club football commitments.

Meanwhile, the 18-man squad will later be increased to 20 men for the Cosafa Cup quarterfinal match against Botswana pencilled to take place on June 18. Enditem.