World Cup hopes hanging by a thread 

Namibia’s 2026 Fifa World Cup hopes are hanging by a thread following a 2-1 defeat to Malawi in Francistown on Friday. 

With Tunisia beating Liberia 3-0 the previous day, the Carthage Eagles have now taken a seven-point lead over Namibia at the top of group H, and with only three matches remaining they now seem certain of booking their ticket to the world cup. 

Namibia still have a slight chance of making it if they remain second on the log, but that path will be much more difficult. The four best-placed runners-up will enter another qualifying competition, with the top team progressing to a final intercontinental play-off tournament where the top two teams will qualify for the world cup. 

Namibia only have themselves to blame for the Malawi defeat as they wasted several goalscoring chances while they also made unnecessary errors. 

Both Malawi’s goals, in fact, resulted from Namibian unforced errors that Malawi exploited ruthlessly. 

Malawi took the lead after only five minutes when striker Richard Mbulu pounced onto a stray backpass by Sergio Damaseb to intercept the ball and beat goalie Edward Maova at close range. 

Riaan Hanamub and Deon Hotto created several chances for Namibia with some pinpoint crosses from the left wing, but the forwards could not capitalise, while they missed two more great chances just before half-time. 

First Aprocius Petrus blasted a miscued shot by Ivan Kamberipa over the bar, while Malawi’s substitute keeper George Chikooka brought off a point-blank save from another Kamberipa shot just before the break. 

Malawi went 2-0 ahead early in the second half after their captain and striker, Gabadinho Mhango, intercepted another stray pass and sent a long shot sailing high over Maova’s head into an empty net. 

Malawi started to dominate possession, creating several more chances in the second half. 

Mhango had two good chances, hitting the post after running onto a throughball from Mbulu, and then having a shot tipped away for a corner by Maova, while a cross by McDonald Lameck also bounced off the bar. 

Namibia, however, finished stronger with a Peter Shalulile header 

being saved at close range by Chikooka, before David Ndeunyema finally opened their account with a pinpoint header from a !Hanamub cross. 

In the final stages, Betuel Muzeu missed a great chance when he was put clear on goal by Petrus, but his shot went wide as Malawi held on for the win. 

Despite the defeat, Brave Warriors coach Collin Benjamin remained upbeat, saying they still have a chance of qualifying. 

“We are the Brave Warriors, we are only out when the fat lady sings,” he said after the match. Now we have to analyse the situation. We have to work on minimising the mistakes, and we look forward to the Sao Tome match,” he said.

Namibia take on Sao Tome and Principe in a must-win match at the same venue tomorrow. 

Sao Tome lost 3-2 to Equatoral Guinea last Thursday and remain bottom of the log without a point from their seven matches to date. 

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