SEYCHELLES and Botswana will kick off the 2022 Cosafa Cup when they clash in a Group A encounter at the King Zwelithini Stadium in Durban, South Africa on 5 July.
It will be the start of 23 games in 13 days as the best of the Southern African region – and guest nation Senegal – gather to contest the coveted regional trophy.
Angola will take on Comoros later in the day in the other match in the pool, while the Group B action starts on 6 July when Mauritius tackle Eswatini at the same venue, and later Lesotho play Malawi.
The first four days of action will all be at the King Zwelithini Stadium, but the final round of pool games, which are played concurrently, will see the Princess Magogo Stadium introduced.
The four quarterfinals will all be played at the latter venue, with Madagascar to take on 2015 winners Namibia on 12 July, and Zambia to play the winner of Group A later that same evening.
On 13 July, Senegal take on the winner of Group B, and hosts and holders South Africa meet Mozambique, the team they beat in the semifinals last year.
The four losers from those quarter-finals will drop into the plate semi-finals that will be played on 15 July, with the winners into the cup semi-finals on the same day. The latter matches will be at the iconic Moses Mabhida Stadium.
The victor in the Madagascar/Namibia quarterfinal will take on the winner of the match between South Africa and Mozambique in the semifinals, while the successful teams from the other two quarters will clash.
The final day of the tournament on 17 July will be a busy one with the plate final, third-place play-off and cup final all to be staged. The latter two will be at the Moses Mabhida Stadium.
Namibia’s squad for the competition is as follows:
Goalkeepers – Kamaijanda Ndisiro, Edward Maova, Mbemutjiua Mata, Ruhuka Ngatangue;
Defenders – Aprocius Petrus, Denzil Haoseb, Charles Hambira, Ivan Kamberipa, Amazing Kandjii, Tuli Nashixwa, Kennedy Amutenya;
Midfielders – Marcel Papama, Wesley Katjiteo, Dynamo Fredericks, Immanuel Heita, Ngero Katua, Tjipe Karuuombe, Prinz Tjiueza, Steven Damaseb, Brian Katuuo, Tjiveta Kajimuine, Uetuuro Kambato, Wendel Rudath, Monis Omseb, Absalom Iimbondi;
Forwards – Elmo Kambindu, McBerry Geiseb, Bethuel Muzeu, Lionell Routh, Godwin Eiseb, Olzen Ameb.
Technical Team – Collin Benjamin (head coach), Ronnie Kanalelo (assistant coach), Arnold Subeb (goalkeeper). -Adapted from Cosafa