African Stars FC head coach Gerald Günther has made it clear that his team will approach their CAF Champions League encounter against Orlando Pirates with respect and confidence, insisting that the Namibian side will not be intimidated by their opponents.

African Stars are preparing to face the South African club in the second preliminary round of the continental competition. The Namibian outfit will be hoping to produce a competitive performance and keep their chances of advancing to the next stage alive.

Günther was appointed head coach on a two-year contract less than a month ago, replacing Ronnie Kanalelo, who guided the team to this stage before leaving to join Marumo Gallants.

Despite having limited time to work with his new squad, the 46-year-old coach believes preparations are progressing well. He brings more than two decades of coaching experience in Namibian football, including work with several local clubs and the Namibia Under-17 national team.

Speaking to New Era Live before African Stars travelled from Namibia to Botswana, Günther expressed satisfaction with the players’ commitment and their approach to the upcoming fixture.

“Preparation is going very well; the boys are working hard, the mindset is in the right place, and we did some positive work back in Windhoek, and we are currently continuing the work here,” he said.

The coach acknowledged the quality of Orlando Pirates but stressed that his players must remain confident and focus on executing their game plan rather than being affected by the reputation of their opponents.

“We can’t allow ourselves to be fearful; we need to respect the opponent, but definitely not show any fear,” Günther added.

He also explained that African Stars would need to apply pressure, make Pirates work defensively and maintain a disciplined structure when they do not have possession of the ball.

“We need to make sure that we try and keep Pirates on their back foot, make them defend and make sure that we are organised in our defensive structure,” he said.

For African Stars, maintaining concentration and taking advantage of scoring opportunities will be important against a side with considerable experience in South African and continental football. The Namibian team will also need to remain organised throughout the encounter to limit the threat posed by Pirates.

Orlando Pirates, meanwhile, will be focused on progressing further in the CAF Champions League. However, Günther’s comments underline African Stars’ determination to compete on equal terms and give themselves a genuine opportunity to advance in the competition.

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