Derby fever hits Katutura on saturday

Black Africa and Orlando Pirates are both confident of victory when the second round of the MTC Namibia Premier League kicks off with their traditional derby match at the Sam Nujoma Stadium tomorrow night.

Both teams have been in fine form lately with Pirates moving up to fourth position on 18 points after a run of three successive league victories. Black Africa are lying third on 19 points and with a game in hand, they could join Ramblers at the top of the log.Pirates hold the upper hand in recent matches between the two teams.They beat Black Africa 2-1 in the season’s opening match on September 28 last year and won by the same score at the end of last season.Two seasons ago Black Africa however thrashed Pirates 5-0, a result which is still in the back of Pirates coach Woody Jacobs’ mind.”We have had the upper hand against Black Africa recently, but we will still want to take revenge for that defeat two seasons ago.Everything has gone well during training, we have a fit squad and a good spirit and the players are raring to go,” he said.Pirates recently strengthened their squad with the acquisition of former Brave Warriors winger Paulus Shipanga from Eleven Arrows and Botswana striker Steve Maposa from Botswana log leaders Centre Chiefs.The two played together for Blue Waters a few seasons ago and with other quality strikers in the team like Frans de Muinda, Celestine Wasserfall, Eusebio Fredericks and Edian Beukes the competition for places will be very strong.Jacobs didn’t want to reveal much about his starting lineup.”At this stage I can’t say whether Paulus Shipanga will play because I don’t want to reveal my plans before the match.But he’s looking fit and Steve Maposa is also a key player for us, so I’m happy that the competition is high for places in the team,” he said.Jacobs called on Pirates fans to come out in big numbers, saying they would give them a match to remember.”The team will come out firing.We want to show our fans that our recent good results were no fluke.We are going to be serious contenders for the title and for me, it’s already three points in the bag,” he said.PAULINO CONFIDENT OF VICTORY Black Africa chairman Kandas Paulino was just as confident, saying they owed their fans a victory after Pirates won their last encounter.”It’s going to be a big game and playing Pirates is always like playing in a Cup final.Pirates beat us last time so we owe them one and I am confident that we will win the match,” he said.Black Africa recently signed Mighty Gunners midfielder-cum-striker Lindon Aseb, whom Paulino expects will make a big impact.”He is a very good player that I think is quite underrated.I think he can play for the national team if he receives the right guidance,” he said.Black Africa, too, have a strong squad to choose from and Aseb will have to fight it out for a place along with Jerome Louis, Donovan Swartz, Bryan Bantam, Milton Eiseb and Gadafi Gariseb.There is not much to choose between the teams and it should be a cracker.Hopefully the rain will stay away to give fans a feast to remember.In other matches tomorrow, Cymot SKW take on Oshakati City at home, log leaders Ramblers host bottom-placed Fedics, and Eleven Arrows host African Stars in Walvis Bay.On Sunday, Tigers host Mighty Gunners and Civics host APS Blue Waters.www.namibiasport.com.naBlack Africa are lying third on 19 points and with a game in hand, they could join Ramblers at the top of the log.Pirates hold the upper hand in recent matches between the two teams.They beat Black Africa 2-1 in the season’s opening match on September 28 last year and won by the same score at the end of last season.Two seasons ago Black Africa however thrashed Pirates 5-0, a result which is still in the back of Pirates coach Woody Jacobs’ mind.”We have had the upper hand against Black Africa recently, but we will still want to take revenge for that defeat two seasons ago.Everything has gone well during training, we have a fit squad and a good spirit and the players are raring to go,” he said.Pirates recently strengthened their squad with the acquisition of former Brave Warriors winger Paulus Shipanga from Eleven Arrows and Botswana striker Steve Maposa from Botswana log leaders Centre Chiefs.The two played together for Blue Waters a few seasons ago and with other quality strikers in the team like Frans de Muinda, Celestine Wasserfall, Eusebio Fredericks and Edian Beukes the competition for places will be very strong.Jacobs didn’t want to reveal much about his starting lineup.”At this stage I can’t say whether Paulus Shipanga will play because I don’t want to reveal my plans before the match.But he’s looking fit and Steve Maposa is also a key player for us, so I’m happy that the competition is high for places in the team,” he said.Jacobs called on Pirates fans to come out in big numbers, saying they would give them a match to remember.”The team will come out firing.We want to show our fans that our recent good results were no fluke.We are going to be serious contenders for the title and for me, it’s already three points in the bag,” he said. PAULINO CONFIDENT OF VICTORY Black Africa chairman Kandas Paulino was just as confident, saying they owed their fans a victory after Pirates won their last encounter.”It’s going to be a big game and playing Pirates is always like playing in a Cup final.Pirates beat us last time so we owe them one and I am confident that we will win the match,” he said.Black Africa recently signed Mighty Gunners midfielder-cum-striker Lindon Aseb, whom Paulino expects will make a big impact.”He is a very good player that I think is quite underrated.I think he can play for the national team if he receives the right guidance,” he said.Black Africa, too, have a strong squad to choose from and Aseb will have to fight it out for a place along with Jerome Louis, Donovan Swartz, Bryan Bantam, Milton Eiseb and Gadafi Gariseb.There is not much to choose between the teams and it should be a cracker.Hopefully the rain will stay away to give fans a feast to remember.In other matches tomorrow, Cymot SKW take on Oshakati City at home, log leaders Ramblers host bottom-placed Fedics, and Eleven Arrows host African Stars in Walvis Bay.On Sunday, Tigers host Mighty Gunners and Civics host APS Blue Waters.www.namibiasport.com.na