Defending champions Angola commence their COSAFA Cup title defence with a familiar adversary, as they face Namibia on Thursday at the Free State Stadium in Mangaung.
This Group B opener rekindles a rivalry that reached its zenith in the 2024 final, where the Palancas Negras secured victory in a one-sided encounter over the Brave Warriors to clinch their fourth title in the competition's history .
Match preview
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Back in a group that closely mirrors last year's edition, Angola kick off against the same opponent, with Lesotho also returning and Malawi replacing Seychelles as the only change.
That opening encounter ended in a goalless draw but the Palancas Negras found their stride in their remaining encounters, winning every other game in the competition, including that 5-0 thrashing of Namibia in the final.
However, Angola enter this year's edition without the best momentum, having failed to win any of their last three matches across the African Nations Championship and World Cup qualifiers.
While their first-leg win over Lesotho was enough to see them through to the CHAN despite defeat in the return fixture, there has been no such reprieve in the World Cup qualifiers, where a draw in Libya and a 2-1 home loss to Cape Verde have left the Palancas fourth in the group.
Six points off the summit with four games remaining, their hopes of securing a ticket to the mundial appear bleak, but another strong showing in this regional tournament could offer some much-needed relief in what has been a difficult 2025.
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Namibia, on the other hand, arrive with relatively better form, currently on a five-match unbeaten run across all competitions (W2 D3) – a sequence that includes a successful CHAN qualification, where they edged Lesotho on penalties after a 1-1 aggregate draw.
In the World Cup qualifiers, the Brave Warriors have shown resilience, securing a 1-0 victory over Malawi and a 1-1 draw against Equatorial Guinea in their most recent outings, which has placed Collin Benjamin's men second in their group, four points behind leaders Tunisia.
Those performances have positively impacted their FIFA ranking, climbing three spots to 108, and Namibia will be keen to carry that momentum into the COSAFA Cup.
The Brave Warriors's history in the tournament includes a title win in 2015 and runner-up finishes in 2022 and 2024 – the latter being that heavy defeat to Angola – with Thursday's clash offering both a shot at revenge and a chance to open the campaign on the front foot.
Team News
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Angola head coach Pedro Goncalves has spoken with great enthusiasm about defending their crown and underlined that intent by naming a squad stacked with foreign-based talents for the 2025 COSAFA Cup.
Among those selected are Pedro Bondo and Manuel Keliano - two promising talents who ply their trade in Portugal - while Randy Nteka of Spanish La Liga outfit Rayo Vallecano and midfielder Show, who features for FC Dallas in Major League Soccer, also make the cut.
Wiliete SC striker Kaporal, who finished as top scorer in Angola's top flight with 22 goals in the 2024-25 campaign, has also been handed a call-up as reward for his red-hot domestic season.
Namibia head coach Benjamin has likewise opted for a strong contingent, with several familiar names keeping their places in the group.
Between the sticks, Edward Maova returns as one of the standout options, the experienced goalkeeper currently featuring for South African Premier Division side Lamontville Golden Arrows and boasting more than 10 international appearances.
In defence, Charles Hambira returns, with the 41-cap veteran currently turning out for African Stars FC in the Namibian top flight and bringing with him a wealth of tournament experience.
The forward line is headlined by Riwaldo Prins, who earned a move to South Africa's Marumo Gallants after a standout season in the Namibian Premiership, where he finished as joint-top scorer and will be looking to translate that form onto the regional stage.
Angola possible starting lineup:
Neblu; Rui, Buatu, Gaspar, Abel; Show, Keliano, Bondo; Milson, Banza, Zine
Namibia possible starting lineup:
Maova; Kamberipa, Hambira, Amutenya, Shidolo; Kamatuka, Katua, Mbuende, Stephanus; Muzeu, Prins
We say: Angola 1-1 Namibia
Although Angola came out on top the last time these sides met, their recent run of results has been less than inspiring, and with momentum clearly not on their side, a repeat of the opening stalemate from the previous campaign looks the likelier outcome.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Adeyeye Oluwapelumi
