Absalom Iimbondi scored in the second half to earn the Brave Warriors a much deserved one-all draw against South Africa in an international friendly match played at the Royal Bafokeng Sports Complex in Rustenburg on Thursday night.
Namibia came into the match as clear underdogs following months of football absence in the country, and it was the more fancied host South Africa that took the lead on 19 minutes trough Luther Singh. It was the lead they took to halftime and after the break the Brave Warriors took 10 minutes to get the equalizer through veteran midfielder Absalom Iimbondi, assisted by Dynamo Fredericks.
Iimbondi controlled a looping ball from the shoulder of the area to blast through the legs of Bafana goalkeeper Ronwen Williams.
The visitors nearly completed the turnaround in the closing stages through Joslin Kamatuka, but substitute goalkeeper Ricardo Goss came to SA rescue.
The luck indeed paid off as against all odds, the got a much deserved one-all draw against the South African side that comprised of professionals.
Coach Bobby Samaria started with only three professionals in striker and captain Peter Shalulile, defender Ananias Gebhardt and goalkeeper Virgil Vries.
Air Namibia jetted out the Brave Warriors in a 37-seater Embraer Jet Aircraft (ERJ) and the team is expected back home on Friday, 9 October 2020.
Brave Warriors starting lineup against South Africa: Virgil Vries, Ananias Gebhardt ,Emilio Martin, Vitapi Ngaruka, Larry Horaeb, Dynamo Fredericks, Gustav Isaak, Alfeus Handura, Absalom Iimbondi, Issaskar Gurirab and Peter Shalulile. – nfa.org.na
