NAMIBIA and Rwanda played to an entertaining goalless draw in a soccer friendly at the Independence Stadium on Saturday evening.
Namibia dominated possession and although they created a lot of chances they could not find the net, while Rwanda’s keeper Jean Claude Ndoli brought off some great saves. New cap Manfred Starke came close early on, blasting a long-range shot over the bar, while Sadney Urikhob was a constant menace with his pace in the box. He shot narrowly wide after breaking into the box on 19m, while Starke once again shot wide after a freekick from Horaeb. Starke came close on 39m when his freekick was punched away for a corner by Ndoli and two minutes later Ndoli once again came to the rescue with a great diving save from a Rudolf Bester shot.Rwanda’s best efforts in the first half came on 21m when Imran Nshimiyimana broke through the defence but Virgil Vries rushed off his line to clear the danger, and three minutes later when Jean Claude Iranzi shot narrowly wide from a long cross. Starke, who had a great debut, came close early in the second half when he broke free in the box but Ndoli pulled off another great save to tip the ball for a corner. Imran Nshimiyimana had a great chance to put Rwanda ahead on 56m but with an open goal gaping he headed wide from close range. But Namibia did most of the attacking and their pressure nearly paid off on 66m when a Urikhob shot was blocked and Bester’s rebound shot went narrowly wide. Pineas Jacob replaced Bester on 76m and made an immediate impression as he raced clear on a counterattack but his shot was blocked. At the other end a cracking shot by Jean Claude Iranzi skimmed the crossbar, but Namibia finished stronger and once again came close in the final minutes. Another great run by Jacob put Urikhob clear in the box but his shot was saved and then in injury time. Jacob headed over the bar from a corner.’OVERALL I AM HAPPY’ – KAANJUKABrave Warriors coach Bernard Kaanjuka said he was happy with the result bearing in mind that his team had not played for four months. ‘Rwanda are a very good team technically. They have a very good coach and alhough it’s not what I expected, overall I am happy. I’m happy because our last match was in June and to come and compete against this team that has been playing regularly, is a plus for us. Our league is only two matches old so the fitness levels of the players are not up to standard but they did very well and did the country proud,’ he said. Kaanjuka admitted that the he was disappointed by the lack of goals. ‘I’m a bit disappointed that we did not score. We had our young boy Sadney up as a striker and Henrico was injured, but that is football. Sadney is still young, he’s only 21 years old, but you could see how he was fighting against these top defenders of Rwanda.’Kaanjuka also had words of encouragement for debutant Manfred Starke. ‘I have know Manny since he was 12 years old and now he is playing international football. He’s got a fighting spirit, he has strength, speed and skill, so he is a very good player and he did very well for his country.’Kaanjuka said he believed that Namibia could beat Rwanda in their return friendly which will take place in Rwanda next month. ‘In the beginning we did not know them, how they played, but now we have seen them. They are not very fast – they are tactically very good, but technically we can beat them,’ he said. BURKINA FASO BEAT NAMIBIA 2-0In a curtain raiser match Burkina Faso beat Namibia 2-0 in a CAF Africa Under-17 Qualifying encounter.Burkina Faso were physically taller and stronger and dominated play from the start. Winger Ismail Karambiri hit the post with a cracking shot on 36m but a minute later they took the lead when Ibrahim Ouedraogo scored at the far post from a long freekick. Willem Pinehas scored from a corner for Namibia after 73m but the goal was disallowed for offside and Barry Oumarou sealed Burkina Faso’s victory with a second goal when he slammed home a rebound on 86m.Burkina Faso now hold a comfortable 2-0 lead going into the second-leg match in Ougadougou on October 27.
