Namibia draw Angola again

Football
Brian Munango
  • 4 Hours Ago
The stage is set for the Hollywoodbets COSAFA Cup 2025, with the group stage draw completed yesterday ahead of the tournament’s return from 4 to 15 June. This year’s edition will be hosted in Mangaung, South Africa, with matches set to be played at the Free State Stadium — a 2010 FIFA World Cup venue — and the Dr Petrus Molemela Stadium.

The draw has served up some tantalising fixtures, including a classic Southern African derby between hosts South Africa and Zimbabwe in Group A, alongside Mozambique, last year’s third-place finishers and Mauritius. South Africa, whose last triumph came in 2021, will be eager to end their recent drought, while Zimbabwe, six-time champions, will be desperate to return to glory for the first time since 2018.

A repeat of last year’s final headlines Group B, as defending champions Angola are once again paired with Namibia, the side they thrashed 5-0 in the 2024 final. The two also met in the group stages of last year’s competition, playing to a goalless draw. Malawi and Lesotho round out what looks to be one of the most competitive pools.

Speaking after the draw, Namibia head coach Collin Benjamin expressed cautious optimism about his side’s prospects.

“Firstly, I’m pleased that we’ve been drawn into a group with four teams – it means more matches, which provides a great platform to develop the experience of our young squad,” he said. “We’ve reached the final twice in the last three years, so we have to back ourselves and fancy our chances.”

Reflecting on lessons learned from previous editions, Benjamin added:

“It’s not so much about doing things differently, but rather working harder and being smarter tactically. Every edition brings its own challenges, but we’ve taken lessons from past campaigns and will look to build on those.”

Namibia will be fielding a youthful squad at this year’s tournament — a strategic move, according to Benjamin.

“We’re in a transitional period where it’s important to integrate young, hungry players while still getting results. It’s not an easy balance, but when it comes to representing the nation’s pride, we always give it our all.”

Group C sees Morocco return as a guest nation, bringing global pedigree after their historic semi-final run at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. They are joined by Madagascar and Eswatini in a three-team group.

In Group D, Zambia, the tournament’s most successful nation with seven titles, will face Comoros and Botswana.

Only the winners of each group will progress to the semi-finals. The top team in Group A will face the winner of Group D, while the Group B leader will meet the Group C winner.

This year’s COSAFA Cup promises to deliver another memorable chapter in the tournament’s history. With 23 editions played to date, only five nations have claimed the prestigious title, Namibia being the fifth. The competition also serves as ideal preparation for national teams ahead of the next round of 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, with participating sides potentially playing up to five matches.

All matches will be broadcast live on SABC and SuperSport, with global fans able to stream the tournament via FIFA . The full match schedule will be announced in due course.

HOLLYWOODBETS COSAFA Cup 2025 group stage draw

Group A: South Africa, Mozambique, Mauritius, Zimbabwe

Group B: Angola, Namibia, Malawi, Lesotho

Group C: Morocco, Madagascar, Eswatini

Group D: Zambia, Comoros, Botswana