The Zimbabwe senior men’s football team defeated Namibia 1-0, securing the top position in Group J of the 2025 AFCON Qualifiers. Despite being outplayed, Zimbabwe achieved their first victory, enhancing their defensive record. Namibia, facing their third defeat, expressed disappointment over their missed opportunities. Both teams will play again on Monday at Orlando Stadium.
The Zimbabwe senior men’s national football team has seized the top position in Group J of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Qualifiers following a narrow victory against Namibia, winning 1-0 at Orlando Stadium in Johannesburg on Thursday afternoon. This marks the Warriors’ first win in their qualification campaign after enduring two consecutive goalless draws against Kenya and Cameroon last month. With this victory, Zimbabwe now accumulates a total of five points, placing them ahead of Kenya and Cameroon, both with four points, while Namibia remains at the bottom with none. Despite being largely outplayed by Namibia throughout the match, Warriors coach Michael Nees expressed satisfaction with his team’s performance. He remarked, “The game was a hard fight, exactly what we anticipated. We were fighting to have luck at the right time, that’s all we could do today. It was all about fighting until the end and we got a well-deserved win,” during the post-match press conference. Under Nees’ management, the Warriors have exhibited significant defensive improvements, achieving three consecutive clean sheets. This match was a disappointing outing for Namibia, who faced their third straight defeat in the group stage. Namibia’s head coach, Collin Benjamin, expressed dissatisfaction, stating, “Congratulations to Zimbabwe that is football, but I’m of the opinion that my team was the better team and created chances. We had about nine chances that we didn’t convert and in the end, we are sitting here with zero points and zero goals. This hurts especially when you know you were the better team.” Both teams are set to face each other once again on Monday in a reverse fixture at Orlando Stadium.
The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Qualifiers is a crucial tournament for national teams across Africa, offering teams the opportunity to qualify for the prestigious AFCON tournament. Each group consists of several teams competing for points through a series of matches. In this context, Zimbabwe’s performance in Group J is particularly notable, as they have now moved ahead in the standings with this recent win, reflecting both their challenges and successes throughout the qualifying campaign.
In summary, the Zimbabwe Warriors have emerged victorious in their recent encounter against Namibia, propelling them to the top of Group J in the 2025 AFCON Qualifiers. The team’s defensive prowess has been a key factor in their performance thus far, notably keeping clean sheets in their matches. Namibia, on the other hand, faces growing concerns as they continue to struggle without any points in the group. The rematch between the two teams will be pivotal for both sides as they seek to improve their standings in the tournament.
Original Source: www.newzimbabwe.com
