Namibia’s 2014 World Cup dream is over but the Brave Warriors gave an inspired performance as they held Nigeria to a 1-1 draw on Wednesday night.

Playing in front of about 5 000 fans at the Sam Nujoma Stadium, substitute Deon Hotto sent the home crowd wild with delight when he put Namibia ahead on 77 minutes.

Their joy was however short lived as Godfrey Oboabona equalised with a freekick five minutes later.

With the other Group F encounter between Malawi and Kenya ending in a 2-2 draw earlier in the day, Nigeria now lead the group on nine points, followed by Malawi on 7, Namibia on 5 and Kenya on 3 points.

Namibia’s interim coach, Ricardo Mannetti has the unenviable task of facing African champions, Nigeria without several first-team stars who have been ruled out of Wednesday’s 2014 Fifa World Cup qualifier for varying reasons.

Foreign-based professionals, Ronald Ketjijere (University of Pretoria), Henrico Botes (Platinum Stars), Heini Isaacks (Maritzburg United) and Rudolf Bester (Orlando Pirates) are all injured.

There was more bad news from the injury room for Mannetti on Tuesday as it was revealed that the duo of Oliver Risser (Aldershot Town) and Manfred Starke (Hansa Rostock) will both miss the game as a result of injury and illness respectively.

The President of the Namibia Football Association (NFA) John Muinjo announced the resignation of the Brave Warriors’ head coach Roger Palmgren on Sunday evening.

According to the NFA, Palmgren tendered his resignation with immediate effect this weekend due to 'serious threats' directed towards him and his family, as stated in his resignation letter.

Palmgren was appointed head coach of the Brave Warriors with effect 1 May 2013 and guided the team in an international friendly match against Zambia on 25 May 2013 before taking charge of the Brave Warriors 2014 FIFA World Cup Qualifier match against Malawi on 5 June 2013, in Blantyre, Malawi.

The Flames’ ambitious 2014 World Cup qualification dream is no longer in their hands after the Super Eagles of Nigeria went two points clear at the top of Group F following their 1-0 win over Kenya’s Harambee Stars in Nairobi on Wednesday.

At Kamuzu Stadium in the commercial city of Blantyre, Malawi created a host of scoring chances, but sadly failed to make them count and were held to a barren draw by Namibia’s Brave Warriors in a match that failed to stir the passions.

The Flames now have six points and unless Nigeria slip up, realistically it appears a tall order for Malawi.

Black Africa won the Namibia Premier League title for the third year in a row when they beat Mighty Gunners 3-0 in Otjiwarongo on Sunday.

Two goals by Roger Katjiteo and a third by Willy Stephanus gave them the victory and the title, which sees them equalling Civics as the only team to win the Premier League title three years in a row.

BA’s closest rivals African Stars were held to a goalless draw by Orlando Pirates at the Sam Nujoma Stadium, to eventually finish four points behind BA in second place.

Stars pushed hard in the final stages but Pirates’ defence stood strong while they nearly scored a winner with a minute remaining but Nicky Musambani was ruled offside.

The Brave Warriors and Zambia’s Chipolopolo played to a goalless draw in their friendly match on Saturday evening.

The match formed part of the African Union’s 50th anniversary festivities and a large crowd of about 7 000 people turned up for the match that was Roger Palmgren’s first match in charge of Namibia.

It was however not much to write home about with few chances on either side.

Zambia had the better chances but Namibian keeper Virgil Vries brought off some fine saves, while Zambia striker Bornwell Mwape found the net early in the second half but the goal was disallowed for offside.

Brave Warriors coach Roger Palmgren said Namibia’s players’ fitness levels were a disgrace when he announced the squad that will play Zambia in a friendly match at the Sam Nujoma Stadium on Saturday.

Palmgren said the fitness levels of the players needed to improve drastically.

“The players underwent a fitness test (by a biokineticist) at the end of March and the results were a disgrace. The fitness levels were not good enough and we will have to work on that,” he said.

Palmgren attended Saturday’s NPL match between Black Africa and African Stars and said the standard was good although the fitness levels were not up to standard.

Host Zambia face Mozambique in Cosafa Cup quarterfinals while Bafana Bafana must wait to know their Last 8 opponents from Group A.

Mozambique, Bafana Bafana, Malawi, Angola, hosts Zambia and defending champions Zimbabwe all enjoy byes from the group stage and will enter the competition at the quarterfinal stage.

Zambia will face Mozambique on July 14 in the fourth quarterfinal match in Kabwe following tournament draws made on May 3 in Lusaka.

Bafana will face winner from Group A on July 13 in Lusaka that contains Namibia, Mauritius, Seychelles and guest team from the Cecafa zone, Tanzania.

Swedish coach Roger Palmgren has been appointed at the Brave Warriors’ new coach.

In a press release issued by the Namibia Football Association, it said that Palmgren would succeed Bernard Kaanjuka as ‘the new and now also substantive coach of the Brave Warriors.’

The rest of the statement reads as follows:

Roger has extensive knowledge of Africa having worked on the continent for a totaI of more than 19 years.

His first experience in Africa was when he led a youthful Sierra Leone national team to their first ever Africa Cup of Nations qualification and participation in 1996 which was hosted and won by South Africa.

Bafana Bafana, Angola, champions Zimbabwe and hosts Zambia seeded and on first round byes in the May 3 COSAFA Cup draws.

And CECAFA zone nations Tanzania and Kenya have been invited to take part in this year’s COSAFA Cup to be held in Zambia from July 6-21.

According to Cosafa, Zambia, Bafana, Zimbabwe, Angola, Malawi and Mozambique will all enjoy group stage byes and join the competition in the quarterfinals on July 13 thanks to their FIFA rankings as of April 11, 2013.

Meanwhile, guest teams Tanzania and Kenya are the seeded teams in the group draws.

Eight teams will go into Fridays two group draws for preliminary round matches to be played at Nkoloma Stadium in Lusaka and Godfrey 'Ucar' Chitalu Stadium in Kabwe.