Lusaka
Namibia’s senior football team, the Brave Warriors have for the umpteenth time failed to negotiate their way past the first hurdle in their quest to carve themselves a place in the final qualification round of the continental CHAN Cup.
The Warriors home based outfit went down to Zambia in the dreaded penalty shootout in the decisive 2nd leg after the two-legged match series ended in a 4-goal thriller (2-2) on aggregate at the Nkolama stadium in Lusaka, on Saturday.
Going into the decisive final leg with a one-goal cushion, the Warriors needed just a draw to advance through to the final qualification round but the Zambians had other ideas.
Though the visitors started off brightly, it was the hosts who took the initiative – maximizing home-ground advantage by taking the fight to their more illustrious visitors from the onset as Chopolopolo responded positively putting the Warriors under siege.
The visitors’ strike force led by workaholic goal-poacher Ita Keimuine, aided by attacking midfielder Benyamin Nenkavu and veteran skipper Heini Isaacks, complimented by the clever play of man of the moment, pocket size midfielder Wangu-Batista Gome and the emerging Absalom Iimbondi, proved quite a hot potato to handle for the Zambian rearguard. Zambia were finally rewarded when Festus Mbewe headed home the much-needed important opening goal that gifted the Zambians a glimmer of hope of clawing their way back into contention.
Tigers free-scoring midfielder Nenkavu netted his second goal in only his second competitive match for the Warriors bringing the teams on level terms on the stroke of halftime (1-1) with another jam of a cracker – a strike almost reminiscent of his debut winning goal in the first leg in Windhoek a fortnight ago.
Tura Magic’s gangling striker Keimuine was always in the thick of things but his lack of international experience proved to be his downfall on many an occasion when he was presented with goal decent scoring opportunities. The tireless Gome also had a rare chance of registering his name on the score sheet but his goal bound shot from a corner kick was blocked on the goal line.
At the other end, the large Zambian crowd was growing frustrated whistling for the technical staff to expedite substitutions.
In the second half, the Warriors continued to hold their own against the marauding hosts with the ever-present Keimuine dominating the high balls pumped into the Zambian danger zone by the likes of Gome, Shalulile and Isaacks, but the gangling striker often found himself isolated against the bulky Zambian defenders. On 64 minutes, Keimuine found acres of space behind the dozing Chipolopolo defense but was somehow outsmarted by Zambian shot-stopper Danny Munyao.
With the match destined for a stalemate with 20 minutes of play left on the clock, Mbewe saw his close range header palmed away by the diving Charles Uirab in the Warriors goal, but Zambia’s first leg goal hero Kalengo was on hand to pounce on – nodding the loose ball into the back of the net – sending the giant Nkolama Stadium into rapture (2-1).
Soon afterwards, Iimbondi had a chance to grab a prized equalizer for the Warriors but the Ingweinyama’s usually deadly finisher shot wide from an inviting position.
Interim coach Ronnie Kanalelo, dispatched African Stars striker Joslin Kamatuka for the tiring Nenkavu with 11-minutes remaining and with the dreaded penalty shootout looming – Tigers’ acrobatic shot stopper Lloydt Kazapua was thrown into the mix in replacing Uirab. The match ended 2-1 in favour of the hosts and 2-all on aggregate.
Namibia won the first with the identical score line in Windhoek a fortnight ago – leaving the ultimate outcome to be decided on penalties as to who should go through and set up a date with the awaiting the Mozambican Mambas in the final round of 2016 Rwanda CHAN.
Veteran goatee bearded midfielder Heini Isaacks hit the crossbar from the opening spot kick, and although his Zambian counterpart Joseph Zimba also shaved the framework, the Namibians could not capitalize despite successful attempts by the African Stars’ pair of Dennis “Law” Tjetjinda and Kamatuka to keep the Warriors in the picture.
Successful conversions via the boots of Keimuine, Ananias Gebhardt and Liimbondi could however not prevent the Warriors from exiting the tourney as Denzil Haoseb’s sudden death spot kick went astray, giving Zambia the initiative to win the tie 5-6 on penalties. Chipolopolo will now progress to the final qualification round where they will come up against Mozambique.