Micho: We Must Not Underrate Namibia

We must not underrate Namibia warned Chipolopolo coach Milutin ‘Micho’ Sredojevic ahead of Wednesday night’s must-win CHAN Group D top two decider clash in Limbe.

Second placed Zambia on January 27 need a victory to qualify to  the  CHAN quarterfinals against winless and bottom placed Namibia who have been eliminated after losing both their opening two Group D matches.

Chipolopolo have 4 points, tied with  leaders Guinea  following  their 1-1 draw last Saturday while  Tanzania are right behind them on 3 points after they beat Namibia 1-0 on the same date to  turn it into a three-horse  race in Group D.

The top two finishers advance to the quarterfinals on January 31.

“The biggest opponent in tomorrow’s game, with all due respect to Namibia, before playing Namibia tomorrow we need to have settled our mindset towards ourselves and our performance,” Sredojevic said.

“And we have no right to see in front of us an eliminated team because for them, they are coming with pride to play for themselves.

“We are also playing for ourselves, and with such a mindset, we need to be fully-focused like we are not playing an eliminated team but like a cup final before the final.

“Only with that mindset, without complacency, would it bring us a good result.

“Anything else is a huge risk and we know that football can go in any direction and we have seen a lot of things in football.”

It  will be the second time  that  the two sides meet in a final group stage match after drawing 1-1 at CHAN 2018  in Morocco where they both  sailed to the quarterfinals but were eliminated at that stage.

But Micho’s assistant Oswald Mutapa is familiar with the current Namibia set-up after beating them 2-0 in a friendly on November 9, 2019 in Windhoek courtesy of an Emmanuel Chabula brace.

Chabula is one of seven players in Chipolopolo’s current CHAN regulars who was in that starting XI against Namibia in Windhoek.

Meanwhile, Group D winner will host Group C runner-up in Limbe while second place finisher in Group D will travel to Douala to face the Group C victor.

Defending champions Morocco,Togo,Rwanda and Uganda comprise Group C on 4,3,2 and 1 points respectively heading into Tuesday’s nights deciding ties.