Warriors hold the Lions to goalless draw

Football
Brian Munango
  • 1 Week Ago 14 November 2024
Eliminated Namibia finally put an end to their losing streak in the AFCON 2025 qualifying Group J, securing a hard-fought point with a respectable 0-0 draw against continental giants Cameroon.

The Brave Warriors, after four consecutive losses in the group, showed resilience and defensive discipline against the Indomitable Lions.

Prins Tjiueza had an unbelievably unlucky moment when he twice hit the post. After 57 minutes he first headed straight at the right post and on the rebound he shot with his right foot and also hit the post.

In a match where Namibia were forced to do much of the defending, as Cameroon dominated possession 62% to Namibia's 38%.

Despite this, the Warriors matched Cameroon’s intensity and kept their opponents from breaking the deadlock.

Namibia's first shot on target came in the 42nd minute, with Peter Shalulile firing a right-footed shot from the centre of the box. However, his effort was comfortably saved by the Cameroonian goalkeeper in the bottom left corner.

Deon Hotto was also lively in the first half, creating a few chances and attempting shots that unfortunately went wide.

The game saw a total of 15 shots from Namibia, but only one was on target, while Cameroon had 10 shots with two on target. Both teams registered four corners each in a relatively balanced attacking display. Namibia’s defensive line held strong despite frequent pressure, led by a determined backline.

Head coach Collin Benjamin made a tactical switch in the 64th minute, bringing on Willy Stephanus, Sergio Damaseb and Elmo Kambindu to replace Peter Shalulile, Vitapi Ngaruka and Deon Hotto. The substitutions added some dynamism and fresh energy to the attack, but Cameroon’s defence remained steadfast.

The intensity was evident in the physical challenges, with Namibia committing 10 fouls and Cameroon eight. Namibia received three yellow cards in the latter stages, with Kennedy Eib booked for a bad foul in the 58th minute, followed by Elmo Kambindu (79th) and Sergio Damaseb’s yellow card (87th minute).

The result offers Namibia a morale boost as they prepare for their final Group J match against Kenya next Tuesday at 15:00 in Polokwane.

With this performance, the Brave Warriors have shown they can stand toe-to-toe with one of Africa’s top teams, and they’ll be hoping to finish their campaign on a high note against Kenya – followed by their FIFA World Cup qualifiers where they are in a well-placed second in their group after Tunisia.