Namibia and Malawi will be looking to secure their first win of the 2025 COSAFA Cup when they go head to head at the Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein on Sunday.

Both sides squared off in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers back in March, with the Brave Warriors claiming a 1-0 victory at the Bingu National Stadium courtesy of a first-half strike from Cape Town City forward Prins Menelik Tjiueza.

Match preview

For the third year running, Namibia failed to secure an opening-day victory in the COSAFA Cup as they fought back from behind to salvage a 1-1 draw against Angola in the Group B opener on Thursday.

In a game where Rayo Vallecano man Randy Nteka received his marching orders, 25-year-old Depu struck on the 90th-minute mark to put Angola in front but Ivan Kamberipa hit back in the seventh minute of stoppage time to force a share of the spoils.

With that result, Collin Benjamin’s men have gone five back-to-back games without defeat across all competitions, picking up four draws and one win, having lost each of the five matches preceding this run.

In that time, Namibia picked up four points from two games in the World Cup qualifiers, claiming a 1-0 victory over Malawi before playing out a 1-1 stalemate with Equatorial Guinea back in March to extend their unbeaten run in Group H.

The Brave Warriors have picked up three wins and three draws from their six World Cup qualifying matches so far to collect 12 points and sit second in the group standings, four points behind Tunisia and two above third-placed Liberia just below the playoff spot.

Namibia will look to take the positives from Thursday’s comeback against Angola as they look to go one step further than their 2024 COSAFA Cup run, where they fell short in the final after suffering a humbling 5-0 defeat against Angola.

Malawi, on the other hand, were denied a dream start to the new COSAFA Cup campaign as they fell to a 1-0 defeat against Lesotho in the other group fixture on Thursday.

Making their first outing in the Southern African tournament since losing to South Africa in the third-place playoff back in 2023, the Flames were guilty of a lack of cutting edge in attack as Makara Ntaitsane netted in the 83rd minute to hand Lesotho all three points.

Malawi have now lost each of their last three outings, having suffered consecutive defeats against Namibia and Tunisia in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers back in March’s international break.

Kalisto Pasuwa’s men find themselves bottom but one in Group H of the World Cup qualifiers with six points from their six matches so far, only above Sao Tome and Principe who have lost each of their six group outings and six points off the playoff spot.

Next up for Malawi is the stern challenge of taking on an opposing side who are unbeaten in 12 of the last 16 meetings between the two nations, picking up eight wins and four draws since their first encounter in June 1997.

Namibia COSAFA Cup form:

Namibia form (all competitions):

Malawi COSAFA Cup form:

Malawi form (all competitions):

Team News

Fresh off the back of an injury-free clash against Angola in the midweek opener, Benjamin could name a similar XI here, with Ngero Kaanjuka Katua, Paulus Ileni Amutenya and 27-year-old Moses Shidolo teaming up at the centre of the park.

Orapa United man Kamberipa opened his account for the Brave Warriors with his equaliser against Angola last time out and should retain his role in the back four, alongside Kennedy Eib, Charles Hambira and Sisqo Haraseb.

At the attacking end of the pitch, Black Leopards striker Bethuel Muzeu, who netted five goals in the final four games in the South African Motsepe Foundation Championship, should lead the front three, alongside Alfeus Leevi and veteran forward Joslin Kamatuka.

Like Namibia, Malawi boast a clean bill of health heading into Sunday’s crunch tie and we should see the Nyasa Big Bullets&rsquo's trio of Wongani Lungu, Chawanangwa Gumbo and 25-year-old Yankho Singo at the centre of the park once again.

Having struggled to make his mark against Lesotho, Zeliati Nkhoma could drop to the bench this weekend, with Promise Kamwendo pushing for a starting role in attack, while Maxwell Paipi and Blessings Mpokera should form the centre-back pairing.

Namibia possible starting lineup:

Ndisoro; Eib, Kamberipa, Hambira, Haraseb; Katua, Amutenya, Shidolo; Muzeu, Leevi, Kamatuka

Malawi possible starting lineup:

Chokooka; Lameck, Paipi, Mpokera, Silwimba; Lungu, Singo, Gumbo; Mpinganjira, Nkhoma, Salima

We say: Namibia 2-1 Malawi

Following their midweek result, Malawi know they must avoid another defeat here as they find themselves on the cusp of an early exit from the tournament. Namibia, meanwhile, will head into Sunday’s tie in high spirits after striking late to salvage a point against Angola in their opening game.

The Brave Warriors boast a superior and more experienced squad on paper and we are tipping them to come away with all three points at the Free State Stadium, albeit by the odd goal.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.

Written by
Joshua Ojele

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