Double victory in Harare leads to tougher challenge

Namibia's field hockey teams made a powerful statement at the Africa Central-South Qualifier, winning gold in both the men’s and women’s finals in Harare yesterday. Their commanding performances secured their place as the top teams in the region, as they overcame strong opposition from Zimbabwe and Zambia in the finals.In the qualifying race for the African Cup of Nations in August next year, both Namibian sides had already booked their places before yesterday.Women’s finalNamibia's women's team emerged victorious after defeating Zimbabwe 3-1 in a tightly contested final. The game was a thrilling affair, with the hosts celebrating the first strike by Ruvarashe Mushavi in the first quarter, sending the home crowd into a frenzy. However, Namibia responded in the second quarter, with captain Kiana-Che Cormack leveling the score through a well-executed penalty corner in the 21st minute.Building on their momentum, Namibia continued to apply pressure, and their persistence paid off when Azaylee Philander found the back of the net in the third quarter (38 minutes).Zimbabwe, fielding 13 debutants in their 18-player squad, showed incredible resilience, but couldn’t halt Namibia’s advance. Tara Myburgh sealed the victory with a late goal in the dying minutes of the fourth quarter, securing a 3-1 win and the gold medal.The victory marked a significant achievement for Namibia, who managed stay unbeaten, winning twice against Zimbabwe in the tournament.Men’s finalIn the men's final, Namibia faced a determined Zambia and the match proved to be a hard-fought battle. After two quarters, both teams were locked in a goalless stalemate, with Zambia putting up a strong defensive performance.However, Namibia broke the deadlock in the third quarter when Liam Hermanus scored in the 37th minute. He then added a second goal in the 42nd minute, giving Namibia a crucial advantage. Hermanus wasn’t done yet – he completed his hat-trick 50 minutes into the fourth quarter, cementing his status as the tournament's top goal scorer with 11 goals.Fagan Hansen added a fourth goal for Namibia, putting the final nail in Zambia's coffin and securing a 4-0 victory for Namibia. Hermanus' standout performance throughout the tournament, especially in the final, earned him the golden stick, edging out Zambia's Alfred Mpande, who finished with 10 goals.Bronze play-offsIn the men's third-place playoff, Zimbabwe cruised to a dominant 22-0 win over Eswatini, showcasing their attacking prowess despite missing out on the final. In the women’s bronze match, Zambia secured a comfortable 17-0 victory over Eswatini.AFCON 2025With their double gold victory at the Africa Central-South qualifier, both the Namibian men's and women's teams will now set their aim at performing well at the prestigious AFCON 2025 tournament. Tougher challenges await against the best teams on the continent, including South Africa, Egypt, Ghana, Kenya and Nigeria. The best-ever placings for Namibia have been achieved the women on two occasions decades ago (silver in Harare in 1990; bronze in Pretoria 1994; bronze in Harare 2005).In four AFCON appearances, the Namibia men best finish was fifth in 1996, while their were seventh at their last participation in 2022 in Ghana.

Double victory in Harare leads to tougher challenge

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Double victory in Harare leads to tougher challenge

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