WINDHOEK, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- Namibia's football coach Ricardo Mannetti on Monday called up 29 players to a training camp in preparation for an international friendly match against Botswana on Sept. 30 in Gaborone, Botswana.
Mannetti said the match will be used to give game time to both the under-23s for their qualifiers in November as well as the senior team preparations for the 2019 AFCON qualifiers against Mozambique on Oct. 13 in Maputo.
Although 14 of the called-up players are under-23s, Mannetti revealed that they will be present merely for exposure and training purposes, and that the senior players will make up 80 percent of the playing time provided no serious injuries occur.
Furthermore, he said that winning is not a priority in this match but that match fitness will be the focus.
"This is the only friendly before we face Mozambique. We however, plan on setting up camp in South Africa hereafter because it is much easier to get most of the players to either Johannesburg or Pretoria in preparation for our away match," he added.
The Namibian players selected are: Ratanda Mbazuvara, Vipua Tjimune, Abel Paulus, Larry Horaeb, Vitapi Ngaruka, Emilio Martin, Donovan Kanjaa, Kennedy Eib, Charles Hambira, Lubeni Haukongo, Approcious Petrus, Baloyi Tsandib, Brandon Neibeb, Pandeni Kandjabanga, Benyamen Nenkavu, Ronald Ketjijere, Marcel Papama, Anthony Kham, Romeo Kasume, Hiha Katjivena, Petrus Shitembi, Absalom Iimbondi, Lucky Heita, Muna Katupose, Sadney Urikhob, Jandja Maharero, Brendon Katoungondo, Rivaldo Sergio Festus, Dynamo Fredericks.
