Africa-Press – Namibia. Namibian international defender Riaan !Hanamub has reached a remarkable milestone – 100 appearances for South African Premier League side AmaZulu FC as they defeated Durban City 1-0 in a league match on Saturday.
The 30-year-old left-footed left-back, who has grown into a key figure and now captains the Durban-based club, reflected with pride on his journey so far.
“It’s a huge honour and privilege to have played a century of games for AmaZulu,” !Hanamub says. “It feels amazing, the love shown to me by the club is massive.”
!Hanamub started his career in his hometown, Otavi, with Touch & Go from 2013 until 2015. He later joined Orlando Pirates in the capital, Windhoek, where he established himself and earned a national team call-up from coach Ricardo Mannetti during the 2016 season.
A move to South Africa followed in 2018 when he joined Jomo Cosmos on a three-year deal in the National First Division (NFD), where he spent two seasons before attracting interest from Chippa United in the Premier Soccer League (PSL).
He was with Chippa United until 2022, having spent two years with the Chilli Boys, and was then snapped up by AmaZulu. Since joining AmaZulu, he has established himself as one of the most consistent defenders in the PSL.
!Hanamub says discipline and self-care have played the biggest role in helping him reach this point.
“Discipline and dedication, also just looking after your body, man. It’s of utmost importance to take recovery protocols seriously,” he says.
!Hanamub was part of the Brave Warriors squad that won the Cosafa Cup in 2015 and represented Namibia at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt.
Reflecting on his growth, !Hanamub says professionalism and consistency have taken him further than talent alone ever could.
“I’ve learnt that consistency and professionalism can open doors that talent alone can’t. I’ve also learnt that it could’ve been someone else in my place, so I have to be grateful for the opportunity presented to me,” he says.
One moment stands above the rest among his standout memories in an AmaZulu shirt.
“My most memorable day was when the final whistle was blown against Kaizer Chiefs in the MTN 8 semi-final in 2022 – that win took us to the MTN 8 final,” he recalls.
Now wearing the captain’s armband, !Hanamub admits that leading a club of AmaZulu’s stature comes with both pressure and growth.
“Being appointed as captain of this prestigious club means so much to me. It also means more responsibility on my shoulders, but on the other hand, it teaches me to be a good example on and off the pitch,” he shares. “The process helped me to acquire a lot of leadership skills, adding to those I already possess.”
For young players dreaming of similar success, !Hanamub’s advice is simple yet powerful: stay disciplined, remain consistent and never stop learning.
Since then, !Hanamub has played a total of 167 games in all South African Premiership competitions, scoring three goals and providing 13 assists.
Muzeu scores hat-trick
Bethuel Muzeu scored a hat-trick as his team Black Leopards registered their first win of the season after six games in the NFD, claiming a 3-0 victory over Kruger United. The result lifts them out of the relegation zone and into 14th place. The Namibian international continues his impressive form, having scored five goals so far this season in the NFD.
Meanwhile, Ananias Gebhardt’s Baroka suffered a 2-0 defeat to the University of Pretoria, dropping into the relegation zone, with the Namibian defender still sidelined through injury.
Prins Tjiueza’s Cape Town City registered their first win of the season, defeating Midlands Wanderers 3-2, to climb out of the relegation zone and into 13th position. The Namibian attacker remains sidelined as he continues recovering from a knee injury.
In the CAF Champions League, Peter Shalulile was on the scoresheet as Mamelodi Sundowns cruised to a 5-1 victory over Nigerian side Remo Stars in the second preliminary round. The Namibian striker started the match and was substituted in the 78th minute. The second leg is scheduled for 26 October at Loftus Versfeld Stadium.
Deon Hotto’s Orlando Pirates, meanwhile, suffered a shock 3-0 defeat to Congolese side St Lupopo in their CAF Champions League second preliminary round match. Hotto hit the back of the net but his goal was ruled out for offside after a foul in the build-up.
Pirates, last season’s semi-finalists, will be hoping to bounce back in the second leg, using their home advantage to keep their hopes of reaching the group stages alive.
Moses Shidolo’s Scottland FC are just one game away from winning their first-ever Zimbabwe Premier League title after defeating MWOS 1-0 in game week 31. With only three games remaining, they have opened up a six-point gap, sitting on 62 points, while reigning champions Simba Bhora are second with 56 points. Simba Bhora are now winless in four matches following their recent 2-1 defeat, in which Namibian forward Isaskar Gurirab featured.
Petrus Shitembi continues his good form for Kuching City in the Malaysia Super League as his wicked corner forced an own goal in their dominant 4-1 win over his former club, Terengganu FC, in the first leg of the Piala FA quarterfinals. The return leg is set for 28 October, with Kuching City enjoying home advantage as they look to extend their unbeaten run to seven games and advance to the semi-finals.
Awillo Stephanus’ Hetten FC suffered a 3-0 defeat against Mudhar FC in the Saudi Arabia second division. They are currently 12th on the log table with three points from three games.
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