Namibia will play their first match of the year next Wednesday when they host neighbours Botswana in Windhoek in preparation for next month’s Cosafa Castle Cup clash against Angola.
The hastily-arranged fixture will be a debut for new coach Max Johnson, who will have only locally-based players for next week’s match but a stronger contingent for trip to Luanda on May 9.
Namibia have already named an expanded squad for the trip to Angola for the last of the first round matches in the annual southern African championship.
This will be trimmed to 18 after Wednesday’s match.
Namibia have been hit by the withdrawal of Hamburg SV strike Collin Benjamin, who is due to have an operation of his ankle in Switzerland on May 4, and George Hummel, the defender who has just moved to a club in Vladivostok, Russia.
But they will expect to have the use of Razindura Tjikuzu of Bundesliga club Hansa Rostock and Johannes Jantze who plays in the second division in Germany with MSV Duisburg.
Also called up for the trip to Luanda is Oliver Risser, a utility player who is in the reserve team at former European champions Borussia Dortmund.
Coach Johnson has also included South African-based midfielder Ricardo Mannetti, from Cape Town club Santos, and Mohamed Ouseb, recently released from his contract with Lyn Oslo in Norway.
Namibia will be seeking to beat Angola for the first time. Last year they lost 2-0 in Luanda and 1-3 in Windhoek to ‘Palancas Negras’ in two friendly internationals.