In a challenging second leg match of the FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup qualifiers, Namibia’s national U20 team faced a disappointing 3-0 defeat against Congo Brazzaville, at the Stade-Alfonse Debat in Brazzaville.
The first half of the game ended with a 1-0 lead for Congo Brazzaville, after their captain, Welcome Akouala, found the back of the net in the 27th minute.
During the second half, Dornelia Ntsiba scored in the 68th minute, and in the 82nd minute, Namibia’s left-back, Prisca Amuntale added to the scoreline with an own goal.
A disappointed but optimistic Coach Errol Damaseb congratulated their opponents on their hard-fought victory in the challenging contest.
“Congratulations to Congo Brazzaville for their impressive performance. They showed great character and determination, which eventually helped them win this match.”
“We have a lot of talent, but today’s match exposed areas where we need to focus on grooming and training. We will work hard to improve and build greater characters with more fighting spirit.” stated Damaseb
Commenting on the own goal, Damaseb said “We knew Congo Brazzaville was a strong opponent, and we needed to be at our best to compete. Unfortunately, a defensive error resulted in the own goal, which put us at a greater disadvantage; our player was at the right place, at the wrong time. It is something we can all learn from.”
To conclude, Damaseb stated that the defeat serves as a highlight of the areas in which they need to grow and develop as a team, and that with commitment and dedication, they have the potential to become a competitive force in future tournaments.