By Adolf Kaure.

The head coach of the Brave Warriors, Colin Benjamin, stated that although his team is dreaming about the possibility of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, they are not letting this aspiration overwhelm them.

Following this, Namibia beat Malawi with a score of one-nil thanks to Prins Tjiueza’s goal from Cape Town City in the 40th minute during a World Cup qualifier match held at the Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe, Malawi.

Having dreams is great, but only if you work hard and stay persistent; however, we’re really not focusing on any plans right now.

I believe that after our experience at the 2024 African Cup of Nations, it’s wonderful to share these moments of joy, happiness, and achievement with my players,” stated Benjamin. “This will provide us with strong motivation and positive sentiments as we prepare for the upcoming match.

In Group H, we have Namibia, Tunisia, Equatorial Guinea, Liberia, Malawi, and São Tomé and Príncipe as members. Namibia presently holds the second spot in this group with a total of eleven points secured after playing five games.

The valiant warriors trail top-ranked Tunisia by just two points, with Tunisia possessing thirteen points. The team topping the group secures an automatic spot at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, set to occur in the United States, Mexico, and Canada consecutively this coming December. The four teams finishing as the best runners-up will advance to another round of qualifying matches.

The lead coach mentioned that the qualifiers are also a chance to nurture young talent.

In conclusion, our focus remains solely on each individual match and player development. Among the starters were two newcomers—Sergio Damaseb and Bonifacius Joseph—and their performance was commendable. Our aim now is to build upon these successes.

“Given these credentials, the transformation continues. We persist with our efforts. We aren’t focused on the records. It’s all about Namibia and how both the players can develop along with the country progressing,” he stated.

Benjamin stated that Namibia merited their victory and performed admirably in countering the aerial assault from Malawi.

We began very strongly. In the opening ten minutes of the first half, we seized control of the game. However, after those initial moments, we struggled somewhat as we couldn’t handle the long balls from Malawi. It left us without a response.

I believe that following that period, our defense organized itself effectively and we managed to handle the pressure. In the first half, we created two or three opportunities. We took the lead, which was thoroughly earned.

The attack from Malawi posed some challenges, yet we struggled with our transition gameplay. It was a tough match against an excellent adversary—physically strong and straightforward in their approach towards scoring goals. I must commend my team for handling the exertion effectively.

“I’m truly proud of my team. We secure the three points and move on to the next game,” stated Benjamin.

Namibia’s upcoming qualifier for the World Cup is against Equatorial Guinea. The game will start at 15:00 on Monday, March 24th, at the Peter Moboka Stadium in Polokwane, South Africa.