Mannetti confident tactical nous can end barren run against Morrocco

WINDHOEK, JUNE 19 – Namibia’s senior football team head coach Ricardo Mannetti believes his team’s tactical harmony should be enough to spur his charges on to victory against Morrocco when the two clash in AFCON 2019 on Sunday in their opening match in Group D.

The Brave Warriors  jetted into Cairo from Dubai yesterday afternoon and held their first training session at their AFCON base on Wednesday morning.

Mannetti said earlier today that his team knew their roles and the tactical nous required in order to stage an upset against African giants Morrocco.

“Everyone understands their role in the team, how we can play and where we want to be. The selection of the final 23 players says it all in terms of tactical harmony. We have not beaten Morocco in about six games now and we have a lot of hope because of our preparations. It’s a once-off match and it will be tricky and different and a draw or victory against Morocco will be key,” he said.

He also believes that his team has responded well to the change in weather and believes it will be key in his squad producing the performance they need.

“During the run this morning, the guys said they can handle this weather which is good because we play in the afternoon on Sunday and compared to night temperatures of 33 degrees in Dubai, they can surely handle it. The team is poised to improve on thier latest heroics and that can only be good for us,”

However, team captain Ronald Ketjijere, winger Willy Stephanus and Blackburn Rovers defender Ryan Nyambe are nursing minor knocks ahead of the opening match, but Mannetti has expressed his confidence in his medical staff to get the job done before kick-off on Sunday.

Namibia was drawn in Group D, that has been dubbed the tournament’s ‘Group of death,’ with African giants Ivory Coast, Morrocco and neighbouring South Africa lying in wait.

The Brave Warriors will play Morocco on June 23 before taking on South Africa on June 28, both at Al Salam Stadium. They will play their final group game against Ivory Coast on 1 July at Cairo International Stadium. – XINHUA