WINDHOEK – The Brave Gladiators on Wednesday were drawn against Zimbabwe, Swaziland and East African guest nation Uganda in the 2018 Council of Southern African Football Association (Cosafa) Women’s Championships.
The draw took place in Johannesburg and the championships are slated for Nelson Mandela Bay, South Africa from 12 to 22 September.
It will take place at two stadiums, the 10 000-seater Wolfson Stadium and Gelvandale Stadium which accommodates 3 000 people.
A media release issued by Cosafa on Wednesday indicated that the Gladiators will be in Group C.
Namibia crashed out in the group stages in the 2017 tournament held in Zimbabwe, while Zimbabwe lost 2-1 to South Africa in the final.
Swaziland played Namibia twice prior to the 2017 tournament in friendly matches, with each country winning one game apiece.
Group A will see defending champions and hosts South Africa face Botswana, Madagascar and Malawi.
Group B will see Zambia, Lesotho, Mozambique and West African guest nation Cameroon.
South Africa and Zambia will use this event as a build-up to the African Women’s Championship (AWC) that will be held in Ghana in November.
The top team in each pool will advance to the semi-finals along with the best-placed runners-up.
The first Cosafa Women’s Championship was held in Zimbabwe in 2002 and was won by South Africa, who beat their hosts 2-1 in the final.
Four years later and the South Africans triumphed again at the finals in Zambia, when they beat Namibia 3-1 in the decider. South Africa then made it three in a row when they beat Zimbabwe in the finals of the 2008 tournament in Malange, Angola.
Brave Gladiators coach Brian Isaacs said it was a tough competition but him and the girls are up for the challenge.
“We will take some under-20 players along to give them exposure. We also have a chance of making it into the next round of the competition this year,” he added.
Namibia has played Zimbabwe twice this year in the AWC qualifiers which they lost 2-0 on both legs.
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