Liberia stun Namibia to keep World Cup hopes alive

Liberia reignited their FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifying campaign with an emphatic 3–1 victory over Namibia in Monrovia, closing the gap on the second-placed Brave Warriors to just one point in Group H.The hosts made a perfect start when Ayouba Kosiah converted a penalty in the third minute after a defensive lapse from Namibia. Sulahmana Bah doubled Liberia’s lead six minutes later, rounding the goalkeeper before calmly slotting the ball home.Namibia struggled to recover from the early setback but dominated possession for much of the first half, creating several chances that went begging. Despite their efforts, Liberia remained composed and sealed the win in the 81st minute through substitute Edward Ledlum, who curled in a superb finish from the edge of the area.David Ndeunyema scored a late consolation for the Brave Warriors in the 86th minute, but it proved too little too late.Reflecting on the defeat, Namibia head coach Collin Benjamin admitted that his side were punished for defensive errors early in the match.“As early as the second minute, we were not aggressive enough in the one-against-one situations on the wing, and that led to the penalty,” he said. “Seven minutes later, we could not deal with a loose ball, and they made it 2–0. From there, our whole game plan fell apart.”Benjamin praised his players for showing resilience despite the disappointing result.“I think we had most of the ball and created chances, but we were unlucky not to score earlier,” he added. “It was a good display of character from the team. They kept playing, and even though we lost 3–1, it was a learning experience for our youngsters.”Looking ahead, Benjamin emphasised the need to be more competitive in individual battles.“At international level, if you allow players to dribble inside or get past you easily, you get punished,” he said. “We have to work on winning those one-on-one duels, both offensively and defensively. It’s a process, and we’ll keep improving.”Despite the setback, Namibia remain in contention for a place in the World Cup play-offs but will now need a strong performance against group leaders Tunisia in Tunis on Monday at 15:00.“To be realistic, we had to win this game to keep a clear path,” Benjamin acknowledged. “But we move on. Tunisia is another opportunity for this team to grow and gain valuable international experience.”

Liberia stun Namibia to keep World Cup hopes alive

Kommentaar

Republikein 2025-12-15

Meld asseblief aan om kommentaar te lewer

Liberia stun Namibia to keep World Cup hopes alive

Kommentaar

Republikein 2025-12-15

Meld asseblief aan om kommentaar te lewer

Intekening vereis om toegang tot inhoud te kry. ×

MELD AAN

Advertensie

Intekening vereis om toegang tot inhoud te kry.