Double headers at Nujoma Stadium

A tantalising double header is billed for the Sam Nujoma Soccer Stadium on Saturday as big time antagonists Black Africa and Orlando Pirates will square up in what will be a massive battle for pride, while Tigers revive their old rivalry with Civics.

The four teams have been in training for the past month in anticipation for the kick-off of the new season, but since the league is far from starting, they have decided to test each other’s strengths in the meantime. The derby between Pirates and BA will kick off at 17h00, while Tigers will tackle Civics in what is expected to be an equally entertaining match at 15h00.Ahead of the action from the younger players, a veteran Orlando Pirates team will test whether their BA counterparts still have the skills they displayed during their playing days in a match scheduled for 14h00.The matches primarily serve as fundraisers for BA and Pirates, who are currently struggling to land sponsorship deals.Generally, the two clubs have vociferous supporters, but their financial standing has been on the downside as the corporate community has so far shown little interest in being associated with them.Although Black Africa have won five major trophies in a row over two season and garnered over N$600 000 in the process, the team has been without an official sponsor for over ten years, while Pirates recently parted with their sponsor, Legal Shield, after the latter was involved in a major court battle.The four teams will have the opportunity to field their newly acquired players for the season, while the coaches will try to outwit each other on various strategies in an attempt to ensure victory for their teams.The key personnel for Pirates will undoubtedly be the reliable stocky midfielder Riaan Cloete, who will be expected to keep the pressure mounting on the BA defence through his strikers.The strikers will be new acquisitions – the hard-shooting Wilfred Coetzee, who will go against his former side for the first time, and Ettiene Beukes, formerly from Deportivo Alaves.Without their influential captain Richard Gariseb, who was snapped up by South African lower-division outfit Wits University, Pirates will be expected to tighten their defence as BA has enough sharp-shooting manpower to hit the net.In attack for BA is the exciting Simson John, while the midfield will be the responsibility of the evergreen Lolo Goraseb, who will also be the captain.Tigers new coach Ali Akan who moved from Civics this season, will be required to show his former team that the players in his side can be more superior.Akan served as the head coach for Civics last season and has been succesful with the side that won the league in the end, although he was not in charge at that time.Civics coach Helmuth Scharnowski has also signed new players after his two key players, Congo Hindjou and Danzyl Bruwer has left the side.Hindjou will take up a coaching course in Germany this season, while Bruwer has secured a contract with Wits University alongside Gariseb, and Blue Waters winger Paulus Shipanga.Coaches Bobby Samaria of Black Africa and Brian Isaacs at Pirates both ended on the winning and losing ends in previous encounters against each other, but this time they will have to pull out their new tricks if either of them want to emerge as winners.* The gates open at 13h00 and adults pay N$10.The VIP parking will cost N$10.The derby between Pirates and BA will kick off at 17h00, while Tigers will tackle Civics in what is expected to be an equally entertaining match at 15h00.Ahead of the action from the younger players, a veteran Orlando Pirates team will test whether their BA counterparts still have the skills they displayed during their playing days in a match scheduled for 14h00.The matches primarily serve as fundraisers for BA and Pirates, who are currently struggling to land sponsorship deals.Generally, the two clubs have vociferous supporters, but their financial standing has been on the downside as the corporate community has so far shown little interest in being associated with them.Although Black Africa have won five major trophies in a row over two season and garnered over N$600 000 in the process, the team has been without an official sponsor for over ten years, while Pirates recently parted with their sponsor, Legal Shield, after the latter was involved in a major court battle.The four teams will have the opportunity to field their newly acquired players for the season, while the coaches will try to outwit each other on various strategies in an attempt to ensure victory for their teams.The key personnel for Pirates will undoubtedly be the reliable stocky midfielder Riaan Cloete, who will be expected to keep the pressure mounting on the BA defence through his strikers.The strikers will be new acquisitions – the hard-shooting Wilfred Coetzee, who will go against his former side for the first time, and Ettiene Beukes, formerly from Deportivo Alaves.Without their influential captain Richard Gariseb, who was snapped up by South African lower-division outfit Wits University, Pirates will be expected to tighten their defence as BA has enough sharp-shooting manpower to hit the net.In attack for BA is the exciting Simson John, while the midfield will be the responsibility of the evergreen Lolo Goraseb, who will also be the captain.Tigers new coach Ali Akan who moved from Civics this season, will be required to show his former team that the players in his side can be more superior.Akan served as the head coach for Civics last season and has been succesful with the side that won the league in the end, although he was not in charge at that time.Civics coach Helmuth Scharnowski has also signed new players after his two key players, Congo Hindjou and Danzyl Bruwer has left the side.Hindjou will take up a coaching course in Germany this season, while Bruwer has secured a contract with Wits University alongside Gariseb, and Blue Waters winger Paulus Shipanga.Coaches Bobby Samaria of Black Africa and Brian Isaacs at Pirates both ended on the winning and losing ends in previous encounters against each other, but this time they will have to pull out their new tricks if either of them want to emerge as winners.* The gates open at 13h00 and adults pay N$10.The VIP parking will cost N$10.