THE last time Namibia faced South Africa at the Africa Cup of Nations, they were on the wrong end of a 4-1 drubbing.
The Brave Warriors were 4-0 down inside 20 minutes, courtesy of a devastating Benedict McCarthy announcing himself to the international audience, before China Uutoni's second-half consolation pile-driver made the scoreline respectable.
"We won the second half 1-0," quipped Sylvester 'Lolo' Goraseb, who came off the bench 21 years ago to help steady the ship in Bobo Dioulasso, Burkina Faso.
History will not repeat itself in Cairo when the neighbours collide in a must-win showdown tonight, the retired playmaker predicted.
"That will not happen again. In that second half, we showed why we are the Brave Warriors. We redeemed ourselves. We put up a fight, we played with aggression and desire," Goraseb recalled.
Former teammate and now Brave Warriors' head coach Ricardo Mannetti shares Goraseb's optimism.
"The best way to banish those memories would be to beat Bafana Bafana. We have never won a Cup of Nations match, and that is our priority," he said.
Goraseb believes the Brave Warriors showed sufficient aptitude when going down 1-0 against Morocco on Sunday to suggest that with the right mindset, they carry a threat. Substitute Itamunua Keimuine's late own goal proved the difference between the sides on the day.
He also expects the Brave Warriors to break from their defensive shackles, and be more offensive if they are to keep alive their hopes for the next round of the competition.
"I respect the tactics we used against Morocco, but if you go to Afcon, you have to play your heart out. We have nothing to lose by taking the game to South Africa. We must use our speed and flair. We must attack them. It's a do-or-die match for us," Goraseb continued.
Mannetti maintains his side will not be motivated by vengeance, even after their last meeting with South Africa ended in another 4-1 thrashing at the 2018 Cosafa Cup.
"My players were heartbroken after holding Morocco for 89 minutes, and then losing through an own goal," he added.
The familiarity between the two sets of players will not douse what is expected to be a fiery encounter at Al Salam Stadium.
England-born Bafana coach Stuart Baxter has warned his players not to underestimate Namibia because "this match is like a cup final for them".
The match could decide which country sneaks through as a third-place finisher, and which makes an early exit.
"The players are very close, and some have met so many times before, and so that will be interesting. This is our moment to enjoy and make memories, and we grab this chance to play against the best on the continent. This is our world cup," said Mannetti.
Rather than slam a lacklustre Moroccan display, Atlas Lions coach Herve Renard, the only coach to win the Cup of Nations with two countries, Zambia in 2012 and the Ivory Coast in 2015, hailed Namibia for being "well-organised and coached".
Morocco and the Ivory Coast are among the favourites for Egypt 2019 honours, and the winner of today's Group D top-of-the-table clash in Cairo would cement their status as a serious contender.
