Namibia look to bounce back at the U20 regional championship
Namibia came within a whisker of winning the COSAFA Under-20 Championship in 2020 when they were beaten 1-0 by Mozambique in the decider, but then lost all three games two years ago in a disappointing showing.
They will look to bounce back at the TotalEnergies CAF U20 Africa Cup of Nations | COSAFA Qualifier in Maputo from September 26-October 5 and perhaps seal a place at the continental finals for the second time in four years.
In 2020, they had qualified for the knockout rounds as the best-placed runner-up after wins over Malawi (2-1) and Comoros (1-0) in their pool, to go with a defeat to Zambia (1-0).
That set up a semifinal with more fancied Angola, but Namibia eased to a 1-0 win and booked a final spot, though ultimately they would fall short against the Young Mambas.
They would have hoped to build on that, but things did not go to plan in Eswatini two years ago as they lost to Comoros (0-1), South Africa (2-5) and Malawi (2-5).
This time round they have been drawn in Group B along with defending champions Zambia and Angola, an extremely difficult three-team pool.
Only the top team in the group is guaranteed a place in the semifinals along with the best-placed runner-up across the three pools.
Namibia were also the surprise-package of the 2010 COSAFA Under-20 Championships, making it all the way to the final before losing out to Zambia.
Some of the football that they displayed was simply outstanding and players such as captain Sydney Urikhob went on to play in South Africa’s PSL.
It was their best ever result in the tournament until being matched in 2020, beating their semifinal showing in 2007, but they could not repeat the feat when they competed in 2013.
There they managed five points from a possible nine to finish second in their first round pool behind the powerful South Africans.
Namibia did not compete in the last COSAFA Under-20 Championships held in South Africa in 2016, nor in 2018 and 2019.
They did play in 2017 when they beat Angola 1-0 in their opener, but then lost to Lesotho (2-1) and drew with Zimbabwe (0-0) to exit in the first round.
Their exploits in finishing second two years ago did earn them a place at the 2021 Under-20 Africa Cup of Nations, but they exited in the first round after taking a single point from their three games.
They drew their opener with Central African Republic 1-1, before losses to Tunisia (2-0) and Burkina Faso (2-1).
NAMIBIA FINISHES IN LAST 25 YEARS
1999 – Group stages
2000 – Quarterfinals
2001 – Quarterfinals
2002 – Quarterfinals
2003 – Group stages
2004 – Group stages
2005 – Group stages
2006 – Group stages
2007 – Fourth
2008 – Group stages
2009 – Group stages
2010 – Runners-up
2011 – Group stages
2013 – Group stages
2017 – Group stages
2020 – Runners-up
2022 – Group stages