The head gaffer of the Brave Warriors, Collin Benjamin has a rather philosophical approach to the challenges facing his team as they sit at the bottom of Group J in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifiers. 

After a narrow 1-0 loss to Zimbabwe last Thursday, Benjamin’s words were as vivid as a painter’s brush strokes: “The table does not lie.”

As the Warriors gear up for their second leg today at 15h00, Benjamin’s post-match reflections took an unexpected turn, comparing his team’s plight to that of a crocodile. “A crocodile cannot survive outside water for a long time,” he mused, poignantly capturing the essence of their struggles – having to play all their matches on foreign turf, devoid of the roaring support from local fans. 

This unfortunate situation stems from Fifa’s ruling that deemed the Sam Nujoma Stadium unfit to host international matches, leaving the Warriors to navigate their challenges far from home.

In a heartfelt moment with reporters after the match, Benjamin expressed hope for a swift resolution, eagerly awaiting positive feedback from Namibian politicians to fix the stadium and restore the home advantage.

 He, however, congratulated Zimbabwe for their points but firmly believed his side was the stronger contender. “We had about nine chances. In the first half, before Zimbabwe got the penalty, we had three clear chances from set pieces,” he pointed out.

 “We need to analyse the game and see where we can do better. We have to work and create capacity. We are not going to put our heads in the sand and say it’s all bad – no, we are going to keep keeping on.”

As Zimbabwe sit atop Group J, followed closely by Kenya and Cameroon with four points each, the Warriors have their work cut out. They must face Cameroon again on November 11, hoping to turn their fortunes around after another 1-0 defeat in the first leg, followed by a showdown against Kenya on 15 November, where they previously lost 2-1.

Mathematically, if Cameroon gets a draw against Kenya today, they will have eight points, while Kenya and Zimbabwe will each have five points. If Namibia beats Zimbabwe, they will secure their first three points. If Namibia goes on to beat both Cameroon and Kenya, they will finish with nine points. If Cameroon draws or wins against Zimbabwe at home, they can end on top and qualify, with Namibia possibly qualifying as one of the second-best teams.

The 2025 Afcon will be the 35th edition of this prestigious tournament, organised by the Confederation of African Football and set to be held in Morocco from 21 December 2025 to 18 January 2026. But the Warriors’ schedule is packed; they also have World Cup qualifiers and the Chan competition for local players looming on the horizon. -lmupetami@nepc.com.na