Namibia coach Collin Benjamin has discussed the team’s exit from the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations following their 3-0 defeat against Angola in the Round of 16 fixture at Stade de la Paix in Bouake, Ivory Coast on Saturday.
The Palancas Negras suffered the first blow in the game with only 17 minutes played when goalkeeper Nebru was sent off after he brought down Namibia’s Muzeu while trying to save a cross from outside his area. The red card forced Angola to an earlier change as Dominique was introduced in goal while Estrela was sacrificed.
“We started very good. You could see the intention of this team, I think the turnaround was the sending of the Angolan goalkeeper. In my experience in football, this is a situation you wouldn’t want to be in because, after the red card, the opponent will come in stronger thinking, they are a man down, it is a soccer lesson,” explained Benjamin.
“And obviously within the situation, you get a 1-0, you get 2-0, 3-0 so in the end I think it’s a well-deserved win to Angola. Congratulations to them but I think as a Namibian, it’s a bitter pill to swallow, but we have to keep our heads up.
“We have to look forward if you just think about it tomorrow morning, you will realize it took us 26 years to record our first victory in the AFCON, we came here in 1998, and in 26 years, we passed the group stage to coming to the knockout, so we have to take it step by step,” he concluded.
