Namibia delivered a dominant performance against Comoros, securing a resounding 10-0 victory in their Council of Southern Africa Football Associations’ (Cosafa) under-17 girls’ championship match. 

Captain Nancy Lebang was named Player of the Match after she put in an outstanding performance that saw her score multiple goals and lead her team with authority.

The host nation wasted no time asserting dominance, with Lebang opening the scoring in just the third minute with a well-taken free-kick. She doubled her tally in the 13th minute, setting the tone for a relentless Namibian attack.

Melania Gawas came close to scoring in the 18th minute, but her attempt ricocheted off the crossbar. Cherifa Garoes was also instrumental in creating opportunities and applying pressure on the opposition during the first half.

Lebang completed her hat-trick in the 22nd minute, showing hunger for goals and sharp finishing. Gawas finally got on the scoresheet soon after, capitalising on a defensive lapse by Comoros. The goals continued to pour in, with Lebang scoring her fourth in the 26th minute, and converting another free-kick in the 33rd minute after being fouled near the corner. She added yet another goal just before halftime, taking her tally to six and pushing the score to 8-0.

Namibia began the second half aggressively, with Kloe Awases scoring shortly after the restart. Despite several stoppages due to injuries, Namibia maintained control. Grace Eises sealed the victory with a goal just before the end of regulation time, bringing the final score to 10-0.

Namibia’s head coach Errol Damaseb expressed mixed emotions after the match. “It was a bittersweet moment for us. I’m very impressed with the players, especially Nancy — she led from the front. She is our leader on the pitch and she carried the team. I’m proud of all of them, as we now wait to see how we progress,” he said. He also commented briefly on officiating, saying he preferred to focus on the win and move forward.

Comoros assistant coach Soimadau Kistina acknowledged the challenge posed by the Namibian side. “We knew they would give us a tough match at home. They were more physical than us. We’ll go back, work on our players and game, and come back stronger,” she said. 

– lmupetami@nepc.com.na