Sports Correspondent

Namibia secured their inaugural Africa Cup of Nations victory by stunning Tunisia in a historic match.

Deon Hotto’s 89th-minute header sealed the win for the Brave Warriors in an impressive Group E opener, adding to the trend of upsets in the early stages of the AFCON tournament in Ivory Coast.

Namibia’s victory followed Cape Verde’s dramatic last-minute triumph over Ghana, while seven-time winners Egypt narrowly avoided a shock loss to Mozambique with a late Mohamed Salah penalty.

Larger nations, including Nigeria and Algeria, also faced challenges in their opening matches against Equatorial Guinea and Angola.Namibia’s Hotto, particularly effective throughout the match, worked in tandem with captain Peter Shalulile, who had several close opportunities.

Goalkeeper Lloyd Kazapua played a crucial role in securing the victory with five saves. Despite Hotto scoring a second goal in stoppage time, it was rightly ruled out for offside.

The Eagles of Carthage, without Hannibal Mejbri, suffered a surprise defeat, leaving them with significant work to do in a group that includes Mali and returning South Africa.

Namibia, having participated in AFCON only three times before (1998, 2008, and 2019) with limited success, turned the tables on Tuesday.

Tunisia, despite numerous chances, failed to break through Namibia’s defense, leaving head coach Jalel Kadri with urgent corrections to make before a crucial clash with Mali on Saturday night.