The Brave Gladiators lost 5-2 to Tanzania on Sunday for a 7-2 aggregate defeat in the first round of the 2012 African Women Championships qualifiers.
The Namibian soccer ladies team had it all to do in the second leg in Dar es Salaam after losing 2-0 in Windhoek a fortnight ago.
But in a game with an estimated attendance of about 15 000 people and under very hot conditions, the Gladiators gave a good account of themselves as they scored two goals through Emmerencia Fredericks and Juliana Skrywer.
Tanzania scored first in the 21st minute through Mwanahamisi Omari, whose powerful shot gave no chance to Namibian goalie Susanna Eises.
However Namibia managed to equalize nine minutes later through Emmerencia Fredericks who connected home a corner ball from Lydia Eixas.
Asha Rashid restored Tanzania’s lead on 47m, but Namibia once again equalised through Juliana Skrywer on 72m when she capitalised on an error by Tanzania’s keeper who failed to clear a cross from the left flank.
Tanzania however stepped up the tempo in the final stages as they scored three goals in six minutes.
The scorers were Eto Mlenzi in the 84th minute, Asha Rashid in the 88th and Mwanahamisi Omari in the 90th minute.
Attention now turns to the national Under 17 and Under 20 sides who have away dates with South Africa on February 4 and Ghana on February 18 in the FIFA Women World Cup qualifiers respectively.