Off the wire
• Chinese president concludes Serbia visit, leaves for Poland  • Maltese president inaugurates Postal Museum  • China issues strict limits on foreign-inspired TV programs  • Results of Chinese Super League  • Chinese Super League soccer standings  • Spotlight: Power struggle between NATO and Russia on rise  • China's vice premier urges intensified efforts for flood control  • National gene bank begins trial operation  • Israeli DM Lieberman embarks on first official U.S. visit amid aid package talks  • Rainstorm alert renewed for parts of central China  
You are here: 　 Home

I apologize for disappointing the nation: Namibian coach

Xinhua, June 19, 2016 Adjust font size:

Reigning Castle Cosafa Cup champions Namibia were knocked out of the tournament by Botswana in Windhoek on Saturday and their coach has apologized to the nation.

Namibia lost 5-4 in the penalty shootout after the game had ended one-all at full-time.

Disappointed fans took to social networks soon after the match expressing their anger and disappointment at the loss.

Ricardo Mannetti, who guided the team to victory in 2015 in South Africa when they won the trophy, admitted Saturday that the loss at the Sam Nujoma Stadium was disappointing.

Mannetti said it was not easy to be second best in a packed stadium and that their plan had not worked especially after allowing a goal that could have been stopped.

"I apologize for disappointing the nation on the day," Mannetti said.

Onkabetse Makgantai headed home four minutes into the second half, and Namibia was lucky to be awarded a penalty six minutes before the end of the game when Hendrik Somaeb took the game to a draw.

Namibia's winger Deon Hotto is the only one who missed the penalty, much to the anger of the fans among them President Hage Geingob.

Ironically, Hotto was one of the stars who led the team when Namibia won the Cosafa Cup in 2015.

Namibia will either play Mozambique or the Democratic Republic of Congo Wednesday, while South Africa are set to clash with either Swaziland or Zambia.

The final will be on Saturday. Enditem