COSAFA Cup trophy tour amended

The Brave Warriors are due to play Niger in a crucial 2017 AFCON qualifier match on 4 June and their participation in the 2016 COSAFA Cup Trophy Tour is amended to allow the team full focus on the must-win match ahead of the 2016 COSAFA tournament to be played in Windhoek from June 11-25.
The Local Organising Committee and COSAFA had a crunch meeting on Wednesday and after thorough consultations with Coach Ricardo Mannetti, consensus was reached to change the programme to allow maximum focus for the players who, some, in currently in Ghana and returns home on May 23.
“It was very important for us to reach consensus on the tour because it is something we planned to do and we need to keep alive and we have now new dates for the tour which will also still involve our support for the campaign of the first lady on cancer,” said Roger Kambatuku, Chairperson of the LOC.
The Trophy Tour will start on 21 May at the Khuisebmond Stadium in Walvis Bay with the 2016 COSAFA Castle Cup Ambassadors Congo Hindjou and China Uutoni to be joined by other Cosafa legends as well as the members of the Brave Gladiators for a host of activities on the day.
The Brave Warriors will be released from camp from 23 May upon arrival from Ghana and reconvene with the foreign-based players on 26 May.
Then it’s down to Okahandja for an afternoon training session on Friday, 27 May (Stadium to be confirmed) while on Saturday, Gobabis residents will watch their heroes in action as they host another session at the Legare Stadium coupled with activations from Castle Lager, the proud sponsors of the regional competition.
“This will involve the Cup ambassadors and legends as well in coaching clinics and just meeting the fans and we are looking forward to it indeed. It is to ensure that we involve as much of Namibia as possible but also consider player’s fitness ahead of their cup defense,” explained Kambatuku.
Over and above the trophy tour, there will also be a 24-hour 5-a-side football match played June 4-5 at Football for Hope Centre, Katutura, bringing a unique occasion for fans to enjoy in a day-long feast of football.
The roadshow will concludes at the UN Plaza in Katutura on 10 June ahead of the tournament kickoff on 11 June. The 2016 COSAFA Castle Cup will also be played under the banner of the ‘Stop Cervical, Breast and Prostate Cancer in Africa’ campaign which seeks to educate citizens on prevention and detection of the disease. The cause is one that is fully supported by Namibia’s dynamic First Lady Monica Geingos.