Xamseb comes in for praiseDespite losing their final 2017 African Cup of Nations qualifier match; there were a few positives for Namibia to consider; one of which was the performance of midfielder Oswaldo Xamseb. Player impresses coach in first start for Brave Warriors Namibia ended their campaign in the 2017 African Cup of Nations qualifiers with a 2-0 loss to the star-studded Senegal in Dakar on Saturday.Having had a difficult week ahead of the match, the result was not too surprising as the Brave Warriors only had one full training session as a unit after a training camp in South Africa had to be called off.
Added to the team’s woes was the withdrawal from the side of regular captain Ronald Ketjijere and striker Peter Shalulile, who are both nursing injuries.
But while a bigger score line was expected, Namibia restricted their rivals, who fielded players such as Liverpool’s Sadio Mane and Cheikhou Kouyate from West Ham United, to just two goals.
Goalkeeper Max Mbaeva is said to have played a big role in keeping the score down but overall discipline by the players also stopped Senegal from running riot.
Discipline
Brave Warriors coach Ricardo Mannetti said the team’s game plan was to frustrate Senegal as much as they could.
Since the team was missing Ketjijere, who is seen as the Warriors’ chief midfield enforcer, that tactic ran the danger of not working.
But up stepped Tura Magic’s Oswaldo Xamseb, who was given his first start in Namibia’s senior national team.
“I was very impressed with the substitute appearances that he made at Cosafa and against Niger [in another 2017 Afcon match],” Mannetti said of his decision to field the player.
Xamseb is not the biggest player around but makes up for that with unmatched aggression and enthusiasm, the coach added.
“As Namibians we are small in stature so we have to make up and aggression is one of the things that I love a player to have… to make it on the international stage and to play against European-based players. So for Oswaldo, I was not even worried… because I knew he was going to cope,” the coach said.
Exceptional
Converted to central midfield from right back less than two seasons ago, the diminutive player gamely battled against the much taller Senegalese, which included the aforementioned Kouyate.
“We see Kouyate playing week in week out at West Ham. [Oswaldo] did exceptionally well, he kept the shape very well, he was aggressive and he didn’t give Kouyate room to play his normal free-flowing game in midfield…” Mannetti stated.
The young midfielder’s performance means that Namibia now has a few options in midfield.
“Obviously going forward, he’s going to give me a lot of headaches in midfield in terms of when other players are available. But it is a good headache,” the coach said.
HECTOR MAWONGA