The Brave Warriors are learning hard lessons on the demands of international football, head coach Collin Benjamin said ahead of his side’s final 2023 Cosafa Cup clash today.
Namibia face a Botswana side still in the hunt for a semifinal berth, while the Brave Warriors are effectively playing for pride and to avoid finishing bottom of Group A.
With one point to their name, the Brave Warriors chances of reaching the next stage are slim. South Africa are in the driver’s seat on four points, followed by Botswana and Eswatini on three each.
Only the top team in each pool qualifies automatically for the semifinals along with the best-placed runner-up, leaving little margin for error.
Benjamin admitted frustration at the topsy-turvy nature of his charges’ performances in their two matches at the tournament, holding hosts South Africa 1-1 before imploding 2-1 to Eswatini.
“We took two steps forward against South Africa and against Eswatini we took three backwards,” Benjamin told The Namibian Sport on the eve of the final clash.
“We started that game [versus Eswatini] off a bit hesitant. If you look at the goals [conceded], there wasn’t good communication. Those are mistakes that can and should be avoided at this level, where communication, positioning and anticipation of these actions should happen. It didn’t happen,” he said.
Benjamin plans to shore up the leaky backline while he expects a rotated attack to be hungry to impress against the wounded Zebras.
The Group A action concludes today, with South Africa facing Eswatini at Princess Magogo Stadium, at the same time that Botswana and Namibia meet at the Moses Mabhida Stadium.
“I have identified a solution to that. We’ve got this last game against Botswana, we need obviously to have our defence tight, because defence wins you the games,” said Benjamin.
“We’ve conceded six goals in three games. That’s a lot at this level. We have to minimise that,” he continued.
“So, for this game, we’re definitely going to have a few chances and give some of these youngsters a chance. How else are they gonna learn and get the experience for us to move forward if we don’t give them the chance?”
After reaching the final last year before losing 1-0 to Zambia, Benjamin said not getting out of the group this time around does not represent failure but a part of the process to building a competitive team.
“I wouldn’t say it’s a failure because just showing up and competing is the nature of sport. You win some and lose some. I look at this as learning lessons. It’s known that you learn most through defeats. Only through defeat that some of the information you give is absorbed because the mind is then open. This is definitely a learning curve,” Benjamin noted.
“There are a lot of games coming up in the Chan qualifiers, World Cup qualifiers and we might still make the train to the Afcon. There’s a lot of work awaiting us and we take the project very seriously.”
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