After a pulsating goalless 120 minutes of football on a muddy and patchy football surface, followed by a nerve-racking penalty shootout, the Omusati region finally returned to the top of the Nedbank Namibian Newspaper Cup podium at Gobabis.
They held their nerve best inside Legare Stadium to emerge as winners over Kavango East 3-1, who have now lost three of the last five finals of the country’s pre-eminent youth football spectacle.
Earlier on Easter Monday, it ended nearly a decade of misfortune for Omusati as they finished the competition unbeaten and without conceding a goal to claim their second title.
“This win is for the whole of Omusati – not just for the boys who came to play or technical team, it’s for everyone in Omusati, this is for you,” a relieved Omusati head coach Shipena Nakalondo said after the penalty shootout.
“It wasn’t the performance I wanted, it was one of those games, but you end up winning them. I’m happy, and I think the whole Omusati is happy.”
Jubilant Omusati governor Erginus Endjala said his team overcame minor hiccups in preparation to band together for the tournament.
“I’m very happy to participate in this competition as the governor of the winning team. We had some challenges in preparation, but I’m very happy to say the management of the team has organised the best team.
“It’s amazing. Since the start of the tournament, we did not concede a goal or defeat,” he said.
“We have to start investing in infrastructure, because if we are saying the next tournament has to be hosted in Omusati, where are there facilities?”
The governor said his boys have shown that talent abounds nationwide – not in the more affluent regions only.
“All those who have facilities – we beat them, and we become the victors. What does this say? We must just try to treat everybody equally, because this tournament brings Namibians together.
“And the bigger picture is that this is where to scout the best players we can develop. And, probably in the next Afcon [Africa Cup of Nations] we can have a proper team coming from this tournament,” Endjala said.
Kavango East head coach Godulf Mukova said losing to Omusati is most definitely not the end of the road.
He said the team will regroup and focus on the future.
“We tried our level best, but the game was tough. The boys are still young and have talent, which can take them far in their footballing careers,” Mukova said.
INDIVIDUAL AWARDS
Player of the Nedbank Namibian Newspaper Cup: Teofelus Hamukwaya (Omusati); Golden Gloves: Kavaripura Tjambeni, (Omusati); Golden Boot: Omar Arend (Oshikoto); referee of the competition: Iindombo Matias (Oshana); assistant referee of the competition: Johannes Asser (Kavango East).
Stay informed with The Namibian – your source for credible journalism. Get in-depth reporting and opinions for
only N$85 a month. Invest in journalism, invest in democracy –
Subscribe Now!
