Limba Mupetami

The Brave Warriors of Namibia secured their place in the semifinals of the Cosafa Cup tournament with a decisive 3-1 victory over Seychelles at the Issac Wolfson Stadium in Gqeberha, South Africa yesterday afternoon. 

The win sets them up for a challenging encounter with Mozambique in the next round. Bethuel Muzeu was the star of the match, netting two goals, while Erastus Kulula added his name to the goal-sheet. 

Head coach of the Warriors Collin Benjamin praised the youthful squad for their spirited performance. “The young boys brought life to the game. It’s a good thing and builds confidence as we head into the next match. Seychelles had a good defensive approach, and we need to work on our transitions and set pieces when we lose the ball,” he said.

Match highlights

The first half kicked off energetically for Namibia, with Muzeu immediately putting pressure on the Seychelles’ defence. In the fifth minute, Namibia was awarded a free kick just outside the box, taken by Aprocius Petrus, but Seychelles’ goalkeeper Romeo Padayachy managed a solid save.

Namibia’s relentless attacks paid off in the eighth minute when Romeo Kasume was fouled by Padayachy, resulting in a penalty. Muzeu confidently converted the spot kick, giving Namibia an early lead. He continued to threaten, missing a one-on-one chance in the 23rd minute after a brilliant through-pass from Kasume.

Despite their dominance, Namibia struggled to extend their lead, and Seychelles nearly equalised in the 38th minute with a powerful shot that struck the post. The match saw a moment of tension when Seychelles’ Warren Mellie was accidentally kicked in the face by Edmund Kambanda, who escaped without a card, but was booked later for a separate foul.

The first half ended with Namibia holding a narrow 1-0 advantage.

Second-half action

Namibia wasted no time in the second half, with Kasume narrowly missing a goal just a minute after the restart. Kulula capitalised on the momentum, scoring in the 47th minute to double Namibia’s lead.

Despite creating several more opportunities, Namibia’s inexperience in front of goal showed, and they were unable to increase their tally. However, Muzeu struck again in the 80th minute, securing his brace and putting Namibia firmly in control. He had a chance for a hat-trick, but failed to convert in front of goal.

Seychelles managed a consolation goal through Brandon Labrosse with less than three minutes remaining, but it was too late to mount a comeback. Namibia’s victory was sealed, allowing them to progress to the semifinals.

Muzeu for his exploits also managed to win the Man of the Match award.

Other Group C results

In the other Group C match held at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Angola triumphed over Lesotho with a 3-1 scoreline, ensuring their own progression to the semifinals alongside Namibia.

The Brave Warriors now turn their focus to their upcoming clash with Mozambique, with hopes of continuing their impressive run in the Cosafa Cup tournament.

-lmupetami@nepc.com.na