Namibia faces AFCON exit.

Windhoek, Nov 18-Namibia ‘s men football national team, Brave Warriors are in danger of missing out on AFCON Qualification after they were beaten 2-1 by Mali on Tuesday night at the Sam Nujoma Stadium in their return leg of the 2021 African Cup of Nations AFCON finals qualifiers, Group A match.

Sekou Koita open Mali ‘s account in the first 11 minutes if the game by beating star goal keeper Virgil Vries. Mali looks the better better in themost of the entire first half and got their second goal in the 36 minutes of the game with Mousa Doumbia firing past Vries to put Mali ahead.

Elmo Kambindu out Namibia back into the game when he headed a well taken freekick he won by Absalom Iimbondi a minute later.

In the second half, Riaan Hanamub came on for Gebhardt while Benson Shilongo came on for Deon Hotto Namibia looked much better in the second as they started to be able to put few passes together and the ball control also improved.

Namibia ‘s left back Hanamub conceded a penalty with a foul on Doumbia on 54 minutes but Vries was equal to the task with a great save from El Bibal Toure’ s spot kick.

On 66 minutes Kambindu held up play well and squeezed one through to the incoming Shitembi but the latter’s first touch was too hard and high and easy for the Mali goalkeeper to collect.

Hanamub was unlucky towards the end as his shot from 25 meters out can only kiss the far corner upright and back into play after being played through by substitute Marcel Papama.

Towards the end Shilongo was subbed with Panduleni Nekundi and Iimbondi made way for Salomo Omseb as the Brave Warriors looked for the equaliser.

Prior to the match Namibia’s Ryan Nyambe has to pull out of the starting lineup with an injury during warm-up and was replaced by Teberius Lombard while five Mali players tested positive for Covid-19.

2021 AFCON Qualifiers Group A after four rounds of matches: Mali leads with 10 points, Guinea on eight and Namibia on three and Chad at the bottom on one. Namibia still have a slightly chance of qualifying provided that they win both games away and home and Guinea or Mali loses their remaining games. Namibia will host Guinea and visit Chad in the next and final round of matches.

Robert Maseka mrobert@namibiadailynews.info