Anger rose in Kavango regions as all 3 soccer players called for National team duties had been dropped.

RUNDU, Feb. 8 – – People from both Kavango East and West expressed their shock and  disappointment through social media and NBC Rukavango against Under-20 National team selectors, singling out the coach James Britz for overlooking boys from Kavango Regions.

All three (3) players, John Muronga – goalkeeper from Kangweru Village, left winger – Johannes Shiyave from Gumma Village, both of Ndonga Linena Constituency of Kavango East, and maestro midfielder and captain of KK United in Nkurenkuru of  Kavango West, Nathanael Damial Nakare, were all at the last minute omitted from final National team leaving for Mauritania this week.

Some callers who called through NBC radio accused the Under-20 coach of following all National team selectors’ trend of always concentrating and considering players mostly from Windhoek based only.

“As usually Namibia, most if not all National teams in sport, doesn’t reflect Namibia as the majority are selected from Khomas Region and most cases from one tribe, pending as to who is the coach of the day”

Another caller complained, saying Kavango Regions always receives the same treatment even to the netball National team selectors.

The caller further said that “girls from Kavango East Region won gold medals during The Namibian newspaper Under-20 Netball Tournament in 2018 but when netball National team of Under-20 had been selected not a single lady from the champions Kavango East made it to the list”

In September 2018, it was decided that the tournament would be hosted by Mauritania.

This will be the first edition in Africa U-20 Cup of Nations to have expanded to 12 teams instead of eight previously.

The top four teams of the tournament will qualify for the 2021 FIFA U-20 World Cup to be hosted in Indonesia later this year.

Both dropped players and coach could not be reached for comments and 14 February will be the kickoff of the tournament in Mauritania.

Players from Zambezi, Oshikoto and Ohangwena Regions could not also meet the cut.

The Young Warriors who made the team are :

Tully Nashixua,
Immanuel Hamunyela,
Denzil Narib,
Pitsi Ameb,
Romeo Amon,
Xavier Mcclune,
Edmar Kamatuka,
Carl Tjipe Karuuombe,
Rio Goagoseb,
Ronin Brendt,
Amazing Kandjii (Khomas region)

Steven Damaseb,
Prins Tjiueza,
Promise Gurirab,
Herman Uwuseb,
Tuhafeni Ananias,
Gerson Paulus (Erongo region)

Ngazikue Kandetu,
Ruhuka Ngatangwe (Omaheke region)

Mwanyekange Matheus (Omusati region)

Josef Erastus (Oshana region)

Juninho Jantze (Hardap region)

Eubrahim Apollus (Kharas region)

Giovani Kaninab,
Gonzales Tsuseb (Kunene region)

Ngero Katua, Garere Damaseb, Jovane Narib, Phillip Joseph (Otjozondjupa region)

By Annakleta Haikera