An international break of heavy defeats for Namibian football

Several Namibian teams suffered heavy defeats during this international break. The Brave Warriors, the U23s, the U20s and the Brave Gladiators all endured notable losses.

Namibian football notably suffered a 6-0 defeat against Russia and a 5-0 loss to Angola. The U20s also lost 3-0 to Mozambique, then 3-0 to Zambia. The Brave Gladiators were beaten 4-1 by Botswana.

Brave Warriors heavily beaten in Russia

The senior men's national team had nevertheless begun its international break with a victory. Namibia beat Congo 1-0 on September 24, in its opening match of the 2027 AFCON qualifiers. Bethuel Muzeu scored the only goal of the match.

The Brave Warriors then lost 1-0 in Comoros five days later. Benjaloud Youssouf scored in the 54th minute. The heaviest defeat came on October 3 against Russia. Namibia lost 6-0 in Yekaterinburg. Russia led 1-0 at half-time before adding five goals in the second half.

The statistics illustrate the gap observed during the match. Russia finished with 65% possession and 14 shots on target. Namibia registered none.

U23s eliminated after 5-0 defeat to Angola

The Young Warriors suffered a heavy defeat to Angola in the Olympic qualifiers. After a 1-1 draw in the first leg, Namibia lost 5-0 in the return match on October 5 in Botswana. This result eliminates the Namibians from the competition. Angola therefore won 6-1 on aggregate and continues its campaign. The U20s finish the COSAFA tournament with two defeats The Young Warriors U20s' campaign presents a marked contrast.

Namibia had won all three of its group matches at the COSAFA U20 tournament. It beat Mauritius and Mozambique 1-0, then the Seychelles 3-0. With nine points and no goals conceded, it finished top of its group. The momentum changed in the knockout stage. Mozambique beat Namibia 3-0 in the semi-final.

The Namibians then suffered another 3-0 defeat to Zambia in the third-place match.

Namibia therefore finishes the tournament without qualifying for the U20 AFCON. Mozambique and South Africa secured the two places allocated to the COSAFA zone.

Brave Gladiators also beaten

The senior women's national team also suffered a defeat during this period. The Brave Gladiators lost 4-1 to Botswana in Gaborone in their second friendly meeting.

The Namibian federation had scheduled two friendly matches against Botswana, on September 26 and 30. The Brave Gladiators were then due to face Angola in the Olympic qualifiers.

A series of heavy defeats to put into perspective

This international break was not solely defined by defeats. The Brave Warriors began their 2027 AFCON qualifying campaign with a victory over Congo.

The U20s had also made a perfect start to their COSAFA tournament before losing both of their knockout-stage matches.

Nevertheless, the scores in the latest matches remain concerning for Namibian football. Russia beat the Brave Warriors 6-0, Angola dominated the U23s 5-0, while the U20s lost 3-0 to Mozambique and Zambia. The Brave Gladiators were beaten 4-1 by Botswana.

Several Namibian teams will now have to respond in their next international fixtures.

Nouya M'toama

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Versatile journalist specializing in sports and political news, with extensive experience across radio, print and digital media platforms.

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