The Brave Warriors of Namibia have officially exited the 2025 Cosafa Cup after failing to progress beyond the group stage, despite finishing their campaign with a resounding 3-0 win over Lesotho on Tuesday evening.
Head coach Collin Benjamin’s side wrapped up their Group B campaign with five points — a return that unfortunately wasn’t enough to secure a semi-final spot. The Brave Warriors opened their tournament with a 1-1 draw against Angola, followed by a goalless stalemate against Malawi, and ultimately the convincing win over Lesotho.
Angola topped the group with seven points, advancing to the semifinals, Lesotho ended the group on three points and Malawi finished fourth with two points.
Despite the disappointment, Benjamin remained optimistic, highlighting the valuable lessons and growth experienced by his youthful squad.
“I am proud of the players. We gave debuts to seven players, including a 19-year-old Vevangapi Mbuende, which helps widen our talent pool. This tournament gave many of them the opportunity to get accustomed to the intensity required at this level,” he said post-match.
He praised individual performances, particularly midfielder Sergio Damaseb, who impressed me with a new defensive midfield role, and Sisqo Haraseb, a player Benjamin hopes to integrate more closely into the squad moving forward.
“We are allowed to dream – it’s free. But the work we put in must reflect that dream. The competition was strong, and there’s definite growth. These are lessons we take from this experience.”
Benjamin acknowledged the importance of both victory and defeat in shaping young players.
“Of course, we all want to win – winning builds confidence, but in defeat, we learn the hardest lessons. We’ll analyse all three matches, look at what we did well and where we fell short. This is a young squad, so the focus now is to keep them grounded and working hard.”
Betheul Muzeu was named Man of the Match in the final game against Lesotho, capping off a solid showing for the team.
The Warriors will now shift their focus to the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, which resume in September 2025
Cosafa semi-final line-up
With the group stages now complete, the semi-finals are set for 13 June. The final four nations are:
South Africa – Topped Group A on goal difference
Angola – Finished top of Group B
Madagascar – Emerged as Group C winners
Comoros – Secured Group D
Semi-final fixtures:
Angola vs Madagascar
South Africa vs Comoros