DECEMBER 2000 SPORT HEADLINES

Monday, January 29, 2001 - Web posted at 7:43:57 AM GMT

Namibia thwarted by brilliant freekick
HELGE SCHUTZ

A BRILLIANT freekick by midfielder Djamel Belmadi gave Algeria a hard-fought 1-0 victory against Namibia in their World Cup qualifying match in Algiers on Friday.

Namibia, however, gave a good account of themselves and, had they taken their chances in the second half, could well have come home with a draw.

Algeria started the match on the attack and as early as the fourth minute, Namibia's man of the match, Danzyl Bruwer brought off the first of a number of great saves.

Algerian centre-forward Tasfaout came close in the 12th minute with a shot that went just wide and in the 21st minute Bruwer once again saved the situation by saving at the feet of Ghazi.

Namibia's best chance came in the 30th minute when Bruwer once again pulled off a great save and launched a quick counter-attack.

The ball sped up to Mogale Naruseb, who had Augustinus Mukoya up in support, but with just the goalie to beat, his shot went wide.

Four minutes later Algeria took the lead when Belmadi scored with a superb dipping freekick which gave the diving Bruwer no chance.

In the 37th minute Bruwer pulled off the best save of the match from a point-blank shot which had goal written all over it.

A minute after the break Bruwer saved a Belmadi shot and seven minutes later Namibia had a chance from a Quinton Jacobs freekick, but Namibia's forwards could not capitalise on the chance.

Namibia's new defender, Dixon Witbeen, brought off a stunning tackle in the 63rd minute to deny Algerian wing Ghazi a shot at goal, while Bruwer tipped a shot by Mecabih away for a corner two minutes later.

Namibia had a great chance in the 70th minute when Floris Diergaardt found Jacobs in the box, but his acute shot went into the sidenetting of the Algerian goals.

As the match wore on Namibia finished the stronger team, but still the equaliser eluded them.

In the 86th minute Mohammed Ouseb blasted a freekick well wide of the Algerian goal and a minute later replacement midfielder Dumisai Jantze provided a fine pass into the box but no one was there to capitalise on the chance.

Besides Bruwer, Namibia's defence also put in a sound display, with especially Mohammed Ouseb, Dixon Witbeen and George Hummel all making telling tackles.

The midfield, however, seemed to be a bit lost and were thoroughly outplayed by their Algerian counterparts, while an instinctive goalscorer is still missing from the line-up.

Namibia are now at the bottom of their World Cup qualifying group with one point from two matches, while Algeria have temporarily moved up to second place with four points.

Their position could, however change, following the outcome of yesterday's match between Egypt and Morocco.

Namibian coach Ted Dumitru could not be reached for comment after the game, but George Hummel expressed disappointment with the result."

"We did well in some departments, but the result was not pleasing for us.

We didn't make use of our opportunities," he said.

Regarding his new position in the central defence, Hummel said that he was getting used to it now, since he regularly plays in that position for his professional club, Hellenic in South Africa."

"I was kind of satisfied with my performance," he concluded.

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