Namibia boss Benjamin embraces underdog tag as Angola loom at Cup of Nations

Namibia head coach Collin Benjamin refused to bristle at his side's outsider status as his players from went through their final preparations on the eve of their country's first game in the knockout stages at an Africa Cup of Nations tournament.

Collin Benjamin will make history when he leads his Namibia side into their first game in the knockout stages at an Africa Cup of Nations tournament. AP - Sunday Alamba

"I don’t remember if Namibia ever went into any game with the odds favoring us," said the former Namibia international who spent all but three of his 16-year playing career in Germany.

"The odds would surely always go against us."

His side though have defied the pre-tournament predictions and take on Angola in a south African derby at the Stade de la Paix in Bouaké on Saturday afternoon.

"We wanted to be part of the best 16 teams in Africa and definitely we are among the best 16," the 45-year-old added. "That was a motivation in itself."

Namibia entered the tournament at 115th place in the Fifa rankings and were given little chance of competing let alone emerging from a pool containing Mali, South Africa and Tunisia.

But they created a sensation by beating the north Africans 1-0 in their opening game in Group E on 16 January.

Return

They came down to earth abruptly when South Africa spanked them 4-0 five days later but Benjamin's men recovered their poise and panache to draw 0-0 with Mali on 24 January at the Stade Lauent Pokou in San Pedro and advance with four points as one of the four best third-placed teams.

Defender Ivan Kamberipa told RFI after the game he was overwhelmed at the achievement.

"Nobody believed in us but we managed to pull through," said the 29-year-old who plies his trade for Orapa United in Botswana.

"We played against a big team like Mali and we remained organised. It's a credit to my teammates and the coach as well."

Benjamin, who has been in charge for two years, added: "There are some players who have been with the team since 2019 so there is continuity and security.

"We have some good technical players with big hearts and the determination.

"There's the ambition and the mentality there also. These boys want to succeed."

Namibia's 2023 Cup of Nations vintage will enter the country's football legend as the squad that broke the mould. That accolade for Angolans belongs to the team from 2008 who reached the second phase for the first time during the tournament in Ghana. 

Back then the Cup of Nations was a 16-team affair with four groups of four and only the top two advancing.

Change

The concept of four best third-placed teams arrived with the expansion to 24 sides in Egypt in 2019.

"It has been a historic moment for us," said the Angola coach Pedro Gonçalves.

"It wil be a big game against Namibia perhaps the biggest game in the last 14 years of the Angolan national team," added the 47-year-old Portuguese.

Saturday afternoon's winner will play whoever emerges victorious from the west African derby on Saturday night between Cameroon and Nigeria at the Stade Félix Houphouet-Boigny in Abidjan.

"For sure, it will be very tough against Namibia," Gonçalves added. "They are a very powerful team.

"They are very brave so we have to be careful with how we use the ball and keep our shape beause if we don't, Namibia can be dangerous on the counter."