January 25, (THEWILL) – The Namibia national football team made history on Wednesday night by progressing from the group stage of the Africa Cup of Nations for the first time. Securing a 0-0 draw with Mali in their final Group E match, Namibia did enough to join others in the knockout rounds.
Playing at Stade Laurent Pokou, Namibia came close to taking the lead when Prins Tjiueza forced an excellent save from Mali goalkeeper Djigui Diarra. Mali grew into the game, with Lassine Sinayoko and Amadou Dante both going close to breaking the deadlock. However, a combination of wayward finishing and good goalkeeping kept the scores level at halftime.
The second half saw chances dry up for both sides. Despite some late Mali pressure, a resilient defensive display from Namibia earned them the point they required to advance alongside group winners Mali, who remain unbeaten after two draws and a win.
Having achieved this historic accomplishment, Namibia will now turn focus to their round of 16 opponents on January 30, seeking to continue their impressive run in the tournament.
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Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
