Namibia one of the biggest beneficiaries of Emilio Nsue's disqualification

By Velile Mnyandu
25th May 2024

Namibian national team coach Colin Benjamin has welcomed FIFA’s decision to allow Equatorial Guinea to forfeit their first two 2026 World Cup qualifiers.

This came after a FIFA Disciplinary Committee ruled that former Spain junior international Emilio Sue was ineligible to play in both games.

The Nzalang Nacional had beaten both Namibia and Liberia 1-0 in those games, with Nsue scoring in both matches. Namibia and Liberia have since been handed three points and 3-0 wins, and this is music to Benjamin’s ears.

"Till it's very confirmed like this it sounds like it, it's a good thing for points, we all want points. Of course, you'll always want the points also on the field of play but be it as it is now we're taking those points and I think for us to be able to compete with the six points going to these matches that are coming it's good. It's good for the morale, it's good for the confidence, the dream is alive in a sense that lets us dream whether we're gonna reach that but let us dream. There are rules and regulations and we have to follow the rules and regulations," Benjamin said.

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Nsue also finished as the top goal-scorer at the 34th edition of the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament with 5 goals. He has since been banned from international football for six months. Speaking just after the conclusion of the inaugural COSAFA Technical Study Group Symposium in Johannesburg, Benjamin says these are some of the things that were discussed in this symposium: the administrative side of a team.

"Definitely, and I think it's also part of the topics that we had that there are perimeters that we have to operate within and that's why we need to create capacity not only on the field of play, off the field of play with administration, organisation and the structures of the member associations. So, in that regard perimeters we have to try and follow and it's not only a wake-up call for the country now that they are hurt by this but it's for everybody else to see that listen I have to do my homework, I have to be ready, I have to be prepared."