African Stars chairperson Salomo Hei remains confident the Namibian champions can overturn their 1-0 deficit against Orlando Pirates in Friday’s CAF Champions League return leg.Hei says the team has what it takes to make history.

African Stars lost the first leg of the second preliminary round at Botswana National Stadium in Gaborone on Saturday, conceding in the 75th minute. The result leaves the Windhoek-based side needing a strong performance in South Africa to keep its continental campaign alive.

Speaking to Desert FM presenter Jane Kandetu, Hei says he was satisfied with the team’s performance despite the defeat, pointing tothe difference in match fitness between the two sides.

“Obviously, it’s not the result that we would have wanted. I think we were really angling for a win because it was our home game,” he says.Hei argues that the absence of a competitive domestic league had put African Stars at a disadvantage against Pirates, who he says had already played between 10 and 14 matches this season.

He believes the first leg has nevertheless given his players valuable experience and confidence ahead of the return fixture. “I’m very confident that we can overturn this result,” Hei says, adding that the players now have 90 minutes of competitive football behind them.

The chairman also drew comparisons with African Stars’ earlier comeback against Gabonese side AS Mangasport.

After losing the first leg 3-1, the Namibian champions won the return match 2-0 to level the aggregate score and advance on away goals. Hei says the team would need to believe in its ability to compete and seize what he describes as an opportunity to change the club’s history.

“These are the sort of games that define careers. These are the sort of games that change lives. These are the sort of games that changedestinies,” he says. Beyond the match itself,

Hei raises concerns about Namibia’s lack of CAF-compliant stadiums, which forces local clubs and the national team to play important continental fixtures outside the country. He describes the situation as a major inconvenience,

citing additional costs and foreign-exchange losses associated with hosting matches in neighbouring countries. “Even the Brave Warriors regrettably also play their games outside. In the final analysis, it’s almost a travesty to Namibian football,” he says. Hei urges supporters to remain behind the team despite the first-leg result, thanking those who travelled to Gaborone and encouraging more fans to support the side in Johannesburg.

Source: https://www.namibian.com.na/starlile-confident-of-overturning-pirates-deficit/