Namibia’s Brave Gladiators will compete in the Women African Championship finals for the first time this year, after they failed on three previous occasions to qualify for the finals.
In 2006, Namibia competed in the qualifying round for the first time but made an inauspicious start when they were thrashed 9-0 by Mozambique in Maputo, before forfeiting the return leg in Windhoek.
Two years later they put up a much better display in the qualifiers, beating Botswana 9-1 on aggregate in the first round, winning 6-1 at home and 3-0 away.
In the second round, however, they came up against Nigeria’s Super Falcons and were thrashed 13-1 on aggregate, after losing 3-0 at home and 10-1 away.
In 2010 Namibia beat Angola 3-2 on aggregate in their first round qualifying tie. They won the home encounter 2-1 after goals by Thomalina Adams and Kleintjie Fredericks, while the latter scored a crucial late equaliser in Luanda two weeks later.
Their progress however came to an end in the second round when they lost 5-1 to Equatorial Guinea in Windhoek.
In 2012, the Brave Gladiators were knocked out in the first qualifying round, going down 7-2 on aggregate to Tanzania.
Tanzania won the first leg in Windhoek 2-0 and then completed a 5-2 victory at home two weeks later, with Kleintjie Fredericks and Juliana Skrywer scoring for Namibia.
As the hosts, Namibia did not have to qualify for this year’s tournament, but they have been very busy with numerous international friendlies this year.
In March, they hosted Ghana as part of Namibia’s 24th Independence celebrations and lost two internationals 3-0 and 3-1 against the Black Queens, with Lovisa Mulunga scoring Namibia’s solitary goal.
In April, Namibia hosted the German Westfalia U18 team and beat them 2-1 in a three-match series.
Namibia also hosted Ethiopia in April, in a first-ever encounter between the two countries and an early goal by Twelikondjela Amukoto gave Namibia a narrow 1-0 victory.
In June, the Brave Gladiators went on a tour to Germany where they played regional and club sides and in July they hosted South Africa in Windhoek, with Banyana Banyana emerging 2-1 victors.
Goals by Leandra Smeda and Disebo Mametja put Banyana 2-0 ahead before Thomalina Adams pulled a late goal back for Namibia.
The two countries once again met in Johannesburg on 10 August, with South Africa winning this encounter 2-0.
Ten days later, Namibia hosted Botswana and ran out comfortable 5-2 winners, with Thomalina Adams scoring a hat trick.
Although its one of the least experienced teams in the tournament, the Brave Gladiators have shown a lot of improvement over the past decade and could cause a few upsets on home ground.
They have a sound defence, led by captain Mammie Kasaona and Lorraine Jossop, who have both played professionally in Germany, while Under 20 star midfielders Lovisa Mulunga and Lena Noreses have become mainstays in the senior side with their battling and displays.
But Namibia’s star player could be the 21-year-old midfielder-cum-striker Zenatha Coleman who is a fine distributor of the ball as well as a top goalscorer.
Other exciting talents include the speedy winger Thomalina Adams, who also plays professionally in Germany, another youthful winger Anna Shikusho, and the budding midfielder Memory Ngonda, who is most probably the youngest player at the championship since she only turns 16 in November.
Veteran players like Shirley Cloete, Kleintjie Fredericks, Juliana Skrywer and Stella Williams could also make an impact.
Namibia is currently ranked 15th in Africa and 106 in the world.
