By Benjamin Wickham
WINDHOEK, March 29 — Peter Shalulile, a Mamelodi Sundowns player, has once again proved his worth as he scored the opening goal in Tuesday’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifier, leading Namibia to a famous 2-1 victory over Cameroon. This win confirmed Namibia’s place in the cup next year.
Shalulile’s goal in the 55th minute marked the second time in four days that the striker opened the scoring for Namibia over the Indomitable Lions. With 11 minutes left to play in Johannesburg, Absalom Iimbondi added Namibia’s second goal, which was too much for the 2017 African champions to overcome. Although Vincent Aboubakar scored for Cameroon in the first minute of stoppage time, it was too late as they were unable to respond.
Namibia’s win puts them in a good position in the programme, taking them up to five points after three matches. Shalulile’s latest strike was his third in three matches during the Nations Cup qualifying campaign, putting him two behind the top scorers Victor Osimhen and Sadio Mane. Shalulile has scored 11 goals this season, leading the PSL scoring charts as the Brazilians are set to win the title.
With the win, Namibia has mathematically qualified for the next stage of the tournament. They have five points after three matches and cannot be caught by both Cameroon or Burundi, with Kenya already disqualified. If Burundi beats Namibia and draws with Cameroon, Namibia will still qualify with a superior head-to-head record against the Lions. Namibia has qualified for the fourth-ever continental showpiece, with the next round of qualifiers taking place in June. Cameroon will be watching anxiously as Burundi hosts Namibia.
In conclusion, Peter Shalulile’s impressive performance has played a vital role in Namibia’s victory over Cameroon. With his third goal in three matches, Shalulile has proven to be a crucial player for his team. Namibia’s qualification for the next stage of the tournament is a significant achievement, and the team will be looking to continue their impressive run in the competition. – Namibia Daily News
