Namibia register their first win of the tournament against Tanzania in Tshwane

They bounced back from their loss in the first game against Malawi, where they succumbed to a 48-23 defeat.

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Namibia dominated the match from the first whistle, establishing an early lead of 11-2 in the first quarter. They maintained their momentum throughout the game, entering the half-time break with a convincing score of 26-5 advantage.

After the half-time break, Namibia remained firmly in control, widening their lead to 42-10 before ultimately sealing the victory with a final score of 55-17.

The earlier match played at 8 am, showcased Namibia’s resilience and determination. Tanzania, having suffered a heavy 75-7 loss to the host nation South Africa on the tournament’s opening day, faced another damaging loss at the hands of Namibia.

Namibia captain and win attack Elizabeth Besser exclaimed with joy as her team clinched their first win of the tournament, saying, “I am happy and it is an honour as a captain to lead my team to victory, and I feel that we carried each other on the court, We can qualify for the World Cup, and all we need to do is to bring the heat on court,” she told SABC Sport.

In a tournament featuring seven teams, there are just three coveted slots up for grabs for the upcoming 2025 World Cup finals set to take place in Gibraltar next year.

Losing Captain Catherine Bunzali remarked, “We need to enhance our attacking prowess to bolster our chances of clinching one of the three spots for the World Cup next year. We didn’t deserve to win the game and let our coach down, but I hope we can make it next time. We’ve learned that our attack lacks lethality, but we must improve. The tournament in South Africa is fantastic, we enjoy the treatment and everything and we need to start winning soon,”