The Young Gladiators will go to Burundi to compete as they begin their 2022 FIFA Women U20 World Cup qualifiers on Saturday 25 September.
The team will be leaving for Bujumbura on Wednesday 22 September and interim coach Arnold Rodney Wallace Doeseb believes in his teenagers.
” Technically the girls are promising and now we just have to make sure we get the combinations and tactics right ahead of the first leg. Away from home will be interesting, it will be a different ball game for our team and we need to have that mental strength to hold our own and strive for a result” states Doeseb.
The coach explains that the encounter in Burundi will be interesting as the ladies battle it out with not much information on each other.
” These girls are still in school and have not played much especially at this level and now they get this chance. Both sides will surely come out to play and put on a show. We look forward to the two legs indeed”.
Doeseb is assisted by Shama Gure with Arnold Subeb the Goalkeepers’ coach. Maria Shikongo is the Team Manager.
The Young Gladiators will host Burundi in Dobsonville, Johannesburg, South Africa in the second leg on 7 October 2021 with the aggregate winner progressing to the third round of the qualifiers. There are five rounds in the African leg of the qualifiers with only two sides going through to Costa Rica.
Taking place biennially, the FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup sees 16 nations compete against each other for the prize. With continental qualification pathways leading to an exciting finals event, the competition has seen four past champions; USA, Germany, Japan and Korea DPR. Japan are the defending champions, having won their first title in 2018.
Here are the Young Gladiators to Burundi: Vipua Tjingaete, Vejakura Tjingaete, Tandiwe Ndjavera, Mbakondja Kahiriri, Muninatjo Hanavi, Beyonce Cloete, Queen Neis, Priscca Amuntale, Chammel Engelbrecht, Vivian Engelbrecht, Isabella Kahuadi, Sylvonia Kloppers, Alisha Aebes, Jekohasana Kamatjipose, Sarafina Khuruses, Nguundja Tjozongoro, Lerato Swartbooi, Okeri Haakuria, Folilian Hikwafelwa, Diana Kock, Veronica April, Lee-zan Rooi, Kauhahiziua Kajovi, Shandre Jantjies.
Source: Namibia Football Association (NFA)
