Hendrik Somaeb came off the bench to score the winning goal as the wasteful Brave Warriors came from behind to beat Gambia 2-1 at the Sam Nujoma Stadium yesterday and reach the next phase of 2018 Fifa World Cup qualifying.
Namibia won the tie 3-2 on aggregate and will next face Guinea in the second round of qualification.
A sloppy clearance from Warriors goalkeeper Max Mbaeva was pun- ished by Gambia forward Pa Amat Dibba, whose low shot from the edge of the box nestled in the bottom right hand corner after just 10 minutes.
However, Namibia were level just before half-time when Willy Stephanus, who scored from a free kick in Friday’s first leg, scrambled home from close range.
It was then left to the speedy Somaeb to be the hero when he steamed past a static Gambian rearguard to lift the ball beyond the onrushing keeper Alagie Nyambally with 27 minutes to go.
“We conceded early and were under pressure and had to dig deep. But the boys responded very well and we got the equaliser and then the winner,” Namibia captain Ronald Ketjijere told reporters.
“It was very crucial because it was just before half-time.It came at the right time for us and it helped the boys to calm down,” he added.
While acknowledging the home side’s resolve to come from a goal down to win the match, assistant Brave Warriors coach Ronnie Kana- lelo was critical of his side’s poor finishing.
“I think what we should speak about is the composure or the deci- sion making in the box. We waste quite a lot of chances. It was the same case in the first leg in Gambia,”he said.
“We had many chances when we could have killed off Gambia in this game and in Gambia.
He however reserved praise for Somaeb’s effort.
“Somaeb was clinical. What more do you want? The touches he had when he came on and his movement were excellent,” he said.
