Staff Writer
WINDHOEK, July 10 — Namibia’s hockey team delivered a remarkable performance, claiming gold in both the boys’ and girls’ competitions of their hockey test series against Zimbabwe on Saturday evening.
In the boys’ final, Namibia’s under-18 team defeated Zimbabwe’s under-18 team with a score of 2-1 to secure the gold medal. Meanwhile, Namibia’s under-18 girls triumphed over their Zimbabwean counterparts, winning the girls’ final 4-2.
These results showcased a significant improvement for Namibia, as Zimbabwe had previously held the upper hand during the group stages of the tournament.
During the boys’ competition, Namibia experienced a 3-2 defeat against Zimbabwe on Friday night, where Namibia twice rallied from behind to draw level. However, with two minutes remaining, Sean Bennet scored the winning goal for Zimbabwe.
Nonetheless, Namibia demonstrated resilience in the final and achieved a thrilling victory. Namibian goalkeeper Rylan Bombosch made an outstanding save to deny Justin Steyn in the first quarter, and Namibia took an early lead in the second quarter when James de Jager concluded a swift counterattack initiated by Ludwig van Rooyen.
Zimbabwe managed to equalize through a splendid solo goal by Steyn, but De Jager restored Namibia’s advantage by successfully converting a high ball in the box.
During the final stages, Zimbabwe launched relentless attacks, but Namibia’s defence proved superb with noteworthy performances from Bombosch and Sampie Venter, securing an impressive victory.
The current achievement mirrors the success of Namibia’s under-18 boys in 2017 when they also defeated Zimbabwe’s under-18 team to claim the gold medal. Coach Siyabonga Martins expressed that they had learned from their defeat in the group stage.
“We analyzed the mistakes we made in the initial match against them, so today we were clinical in our offensive approach. We rectified our errors in the defensive line, overloaded our midfield to impede their progress through the centre, and effectively capitalized on our chances in the circle,” he stated.
Martins further expressed his optimism for the future, saying, “This provides an excellent foundation for these young players to build upon, and I eagerly anticipate the under-21 World Cup in two years’ time.”
Namibia also secured the bronze medal as their under-16 team prevailed over Zimbabwe’s under-16 team with a score of 3-2 in the third-place playoff.
In the girls’ final, Namibia’s under-18 team delivered an outstanding performance, clinching the gold medal after being held to a 2-2 draw by Zimbabwe’s under-18 team on Friday night.
During the final on Saturday, Marika Neethling propelled Namibia ahead from a short corner, and Anine le Roux extended the lead to 2-0 following a remarkable overhead pass by Neethling.
Although Zimbabwe scored a field goal through Nyasha Nyaguze, goals by Annica Higgs and Jaime Gillies established a commanding 4-1 lead for Namibia.
In the final quarter, Zimbabwe managed to pull a goal back through Tayla Dean, but it was insufficient as Namibia secured an impressive victory.
Namibian coach Kagiso Mosiane acknowledged that it took his team some time to settle down.
“It was an exhilarating game. Initially, my girls were quite nervous, but as we began to connect our passes and find our rhythm, the game opened up for us, and that’s how we emerged victorious,” he commented, highlighting the valuable lessons they learned from the previous draw.
“We recognized their strength in counterattacks and short corners, so we kept them outside our circle and ensured that we denied them any opportunities to harm us.”
“This victory is bound to have a significant impact on Namibian hockey. Starting with last year’s South African test series and now with Zimbabwe, our hockey has the potential for remarkable growth. This applies not only to the under-16s but to the entire sport in Africa. We have an abundance of talent that we can tap into and promote,” he added enthusiastically. – Namibia Daily News
