Hilma Nalupe
The Namibia U/21 men’s hockey team made history last Saturday when they defeated Egypt 4-2 at the Junior Hockey World Cup in India.
The victory marked Namibia’s first-ever win at a Hockey World Cup, signalling a significant milestone for the young squad and an encouraging turnaround following their challenging opening match. Namibia showcased determination, teamwork and improved confidence throughout the encounter.
The goals were scored by Liam Bruys, James de Jager, Josh van der Merwe and John-Paul Britz. Egypt managed two goals through Mohab Hegab and Abdelrahman Kasem, but Namibia maintained control in key moments to secure the win.
Josh van der Merwe’s impressive display earned him the Player of the Match award.
Reflecting on the achievement, he expressed pride in both the team’s performance and the personal recognition.
“It was a tough game. We knew going into it that it wouldn’t be easy, but we wanted the win so badly, and it’s an honour to win this for our country,” he said, highlighting the team’s fighting spirit and morale after the opening-day setback.Their historic win came on the heels of a 1-12 loss to Belgium on Friday, a match in which Namibia struggled against one of the world’s strongest junior sides.
The Namibian goal in that encounter came from a well-executed short corner by Mathew Lassen.
Despite the tough scoreline, head coach Johan Weyhe said he remained proud of his players’ resilience and tactical discipline. “The entire Belgium team are professional players, while we are club players. That is not an excuse from us, but I believe we stood our ground and played our best,” Weyhe said.
Following their victory over Egypt, Namibia continues to practice their strategy and build strength ahead of their next match.
The team will face Spain tomorrow in Madurai.