Namibia is heading to their first African Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament in over 10 years and the current generation led by Ricardo Mannetti comes a long way.
The Brave Warriors had to wait for the final day of the qualifiers in March to confirm their place in the 32nd edition of the AFCON in Egypt next month. Highlands Park striker Peter Shalulile comes a long way with Mannetti, eight years ago they came as an U19 team to play in the Bayhill Cup and today that team is going to the AFCON.
The AFCON tournament kicks-off on the 21st of next month until the 19th of July.
Namibia finished second in Group K behind Guinea Bissau and it was a very difficult campaign for the Brave Warriors.
Shalulile, who played five of the six AFCON 2019 qualifiers, scored two goals and provided an assist during this qualifying campaign. At Highlands Park, he was the top goal scorer at the club last season to help them get promotion to the PSL.
This season the 25-year-old has scored six goals and provided two assists from 23 matches and his team could finish inside the top eight this weekend.
Shalulile says the level of the PSL helped him during the AFCON qualifiers.
There are two Namibians playing under Owen Da Gama at Makhulong stadium, Shalulile and Denzil Haoseb. On the night of the AFCON they were in camp.
Interestingly they are in Group D against their neighbours South Africa, Ivory Coast and Morocco. Shalulile says the comments at the camp on the night of the draw were very interesting. – Report by Velile Mnyandu
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