Namibia came from behind to beat Angola 2-1 in a hard fought and physical first leg African Women's Championships qualifier at the Sam Nujoma Stadium on Sunday. Angola’s centre forward and captain Irene Goncalves put the visitors ahead on 37 minutes, but second half goals by Thomalina Adams and Lena Fredericks gave Namibia a 2-1 victory.
Namibia now take a slender lead into the second leg encounter in Luanda on March 19, with the aggregate winner set to qualify for the finals in South Africa later this year.
Angola were the first to attack and Goncalves soon made her presence felt with her powerful runs into Namibia’s box.
Namibia’s defence, well marshalled by captain Queen Manga managed to keep her out, and their first attack came on 10m when a Stella Williams header was comfortably saved.
Both sides were fired up and tackled with conviction and the game was regularly interrupted due to injuries.
Namibia’s diminutive midfielder Juliana Skrywer came close when she burst into the box on 35m but Angola’s keeper Dionisia Domingo just managed to clear the ball in time. Two minutes later Angola took the lead when Goncalves ran onto a fine throughball and chipped the ball over Namibia’s outrushing keeper, Bonnita Eixas.
Goncalves nearly scored a second shortly after the break but her shot was tipped away for a corner, and as the game progressed more chances came Namibia’s way.
Lena Fredericks came close with a long-range effort on 23m and their pressure paid off five minutes later when Adams slammed home a clearance from a corner.
Angola came back strongly and Namibian keeper Eixas did well to save a Goncalves cross on 77m, but it was Namibia who took the lead through a great 30m strike by Fredericks on 80m that slammed into the roof of the net.
Angola pushed hard in the final stages and nearly equalised when Rosa Prata broke into the box, but Susanna Eises brought off a great tackle to dispossess her just in time.
Namibia 2
Thomalina Adams 73m, Lena Fredericks 85m
Angola 1
Irene Goncalves 37m