But coach Arie Schans has plenty of players to choose from in that role, as most professional players reported for training this week.

Benjamin, who plays for Hamburg SV and who is currently on a break in the country, has suffered a toe injury and will be out for this encounter, while another German-based midfielder, Oliver Risser, will also not be available due to an niggling ankle injury.

Risser plays for the second team of Bundesliga side Hannover 96 in Germany.

Schans said Benjamin came with the injury from Germany and was still not fit to play at this stage.

But their absence will not deter the plans of Schans and his two assistant coaches, Ronnie Kanalelo and Brian Isaacs, as they have plenty to choose from, especially in the midfield and striking positions.

The foreign-based players who have reported for training so far are defenders Ivan Namaseb (FC AK, South Africa), Hartman Toromba (Black Leopards, SA), Richard Gariseb (Bidvest Wits, SA) midfielders Brian Gurirab (Premeiro De Maio Benguela, Angola) and Quinton Jacobs (Bryne FK, Norway).

The strikers are Lazarus Kaimbi (Jomo Cosmos, SA), Costa Khaiseb (FC AK, SA) and Wilco Risser, who plays for Schalke 04 in the Obberliga in Germany.

Schans, who took the players through target-shooting exercises with Kanalelo yesterday, said he hoped that both Benjamin and Risser will join the team for the Zimbabwe match due early next month in that country.

Schans is expected to trim his team to 18 players today and so far has three goalkeepers, six defenders, five midfielders, and seven strikers in camp.

Orlando Pirates goalie Athiel Mbaha and Civics' Esau Tjiuoro will be kept for the goalkeeping positions, ahead of youngster Maximillian Mbaeva of African Stars, with Mbaha expected to guard the sticks on Saturday.

For the defence, Schans has to choose between Steven Goaxab (Orlando Pirates), Jeremia Baisako (Ramblers) and Namaseb, while Michael Pienaar (Ramblers), Toromba, and Gariseb will certainly be making the cut.

In midfield, Brian Brendell, Tugela Tuyeni, Jamu Ngatjizeko (all Civics), Gurirab and Jacobs are all expected to be kept, while upfront, heads will be rolling.

The three coaches will possibly be looking at three strikers and will likely retain Rudolph Bester who plays for Serbia's FC Cukaricki Stenkom, while the fight for the other two positions will be open.

In fact, Kaimbi and Khaiseb were confident on the ball and converted most of their shots at goal during practice yesterday, while others such as Floris Diergaardt (Civics), Arend Von Stryk (SKW) and Risser also proved to be worthy candidates.

The coaches will have a difficult task upfront, but the players will once again get a chance as Namibia still have five international matches lined up before the end of the year, excluding the Cosafa Cup matches.

Namibia are also grouped with Zimbabwe and Guinea in the African Nations and World Cup qualifiers, which will see the two winners advance to the third and final group phase next year.