Keetmanshoop: Defending champions Kunene were made to work hard in their opening match of the Nedbank Namibian Newspaper Cup, settling for a 1-1 draw against Omusati.

According to Namibia Press Agency, the 24th edition of the prestigious tournament got underway on Friday at a packed Westdene Stadium in Keetmanshoop, setting the stage for an exciting weekend of youth football. Kunene, who lifted the trophy for the first time in the 23rd edition, has been drawn in Group D alongside two-time champions Omusati and the Zambezi Region.

Omusati, who previously claimed the title in 2014 and again in 2024 when the tournament was hosted in Gobabis, showed strong intent as they matched the defending champions throughout the contest. Their disciplined performance earned them a share of the spoils and underlined their ambition to secure a third title.

However, the draw ultimately proved insufficient for Omusati. They concluded their group-stage campaign with just two points from two matches in the three-team group. Their hopes of progressing to the quarterfinals now depend on either Zambezi or Kunene failing to secure maximum points in their remaining fixture.

In other matches played at the Westdene Stadium, Oshikoto booked their place in the semi-finals after winning both of their matches played on Friday. Erongo and Khomas have also put themselves in strong contention, each collecting three points from their respective encounters with Oshana, who became the first team to be eliminated from the competition.

This year's tournament, hosted in the ||Karas Region, has drawn more than 600 young athletes competing in both football and netball. Since its inception in 2001, the Nedbank Namibian Newspaper Cup has remained a cornerstone of youth sports development in Namibia, providing an important pathway from grassroots participation to national recognition.