Head coach Collin Benjamin says Namibia are “hungry” to make more history at the Africa Cup of Nations as they seek to upset Angola.

The Brave Warriors are through to the knockout stages of the tournament for the first time after finishing the group stage among the best third-placed teams.

Group D winners Angola are favourites to become the first nation to reach the quarter-finals ahead of Saturday’s last-16 clash in Bouake.

But Benjamin cannot remember a time when Namibia were not underdogs and believes there is a steely determination among his squad.

“We have some good technical players with big hearts and there is the signature of the coach,” he said, according to cafonline.com.

“It’s the determination, it’s ambition, it’s mentality, these boys want to succeed and they understand everything about the team.

“We want to be part of the best 16 teams in Africa and definitely we are among the best 16 – it is a motivation in itself.

“I don’t remember if Namibia will go into any game with the odds favouring us, it will always go against us.

“Our coaches are educated to know that players are playing at good levels and they are hungry.”

Angola are bidding to progress to the last eight for the first time since hosting the tournament in 2010 on the back of wins over Mauritania and Burkina Faso and a 1-1 draw with Algeria.

Head coach Pedro Goncalves is confident of ending the Black Antelopes’ lengthy wait for a quarter-final.

“It has been a historic moment for us and we have a bigger game tomorrow, perhaps the biggest game in the last 14 years of the Angolan national team,” said the Portuguese.

“For sure, it will be very tough but I have confidence tomorrow everybody will do a great job.

“Namibia is a very powerful team, they are very brave.

“We need to be considerate in our passing. We have to be balanced because if we lose our balance, Namibia can be dangerous for us.”

Namibia head coach Collin Benjamin believes his side are “immune” to their underdogs status as they attempt to make history on Sunday.

Deon Hotto’s late header gave the Namibians their first ever win in the Africa Cup of Nations as the Brave Warriors stunned 2004 champions Tunisia 1-0 in their Group E opener earlier this week.

Another surprise victory when they take on South Africa in Korhogo this weekend would represent a major step towards reaching the knockout stages of the competition for the first time.

And Benjamin argued one of the touchstones of his side’s successful start to their campaign has been their ability to block out noise from outside the camp.

“They are just focused on the task at hand. I have never seen such dedication from a group of players,” said Benjamin. “On the field, in the gym, during breakfast, they are just focused. Even I am afraid of them!

“They not only carrying their own aspirations but it’s the hopes and dreams of the entire nation. For us being underdogs to a certain extent we are immune to it.

“We are preparing properly and as professionals. We are going to give everything, and this is what we live for.”

South Africa are looking to rebound from their 2-0 loss to Mali earlier this week, with Bafana Bafana boss Hugo Broos urging his side to learn from their errors.

“The only thing that we cannot do is to repeat the same mistakes that we made with Mali,” Broos said in quotes on the competition’s official website.