FNB Cup nets 32 goals

THE knockout and quarter-final rounds of the FNB Cup were concluded in Gobabis, determining which four teams of the Namibia Premier League will play in the semi-finals scheduled for December 9 at the Independence Stadium in Windhoek.

Black Africa and African Stars of Group A [Mariental] and Civics and Blue Waters of Group B [Gobabis] will lock horns in two semi-final matches to determine the finalists on Saturday, December 16. None of the 12 matches played in both Group A and B was decided by a penalty shootout, while both groups produced 16 goals each.The match commissioner of the FNB Cup, Boy-Boy Ndjadila, who is responsible for the wellbeing and placement of match officials, said that the 32 goals scored in Mariental and Gobabis compared well with any international matches.”If one divides the 32 goals by the 12 matches played, you will get an average of three goals,” he said.”Look at the Spanish or English Leagues, the average goals those players score per match are about three, therefore, Namibian strikers are not falling short of goal-scoring opportunities.”He was quick to mention that discipline amongst Namibian footballers was a cause for concern, as four players in Group A [Mariental] were red-carded, while one player in Group B was sent off.Lack of discipline was also evident amongst coaching staff, where a match official in a Group B match in Gobabis sent off Blue Waters coach Shepherd Murape.”This was bad, more so for players to see their coach expelled from the field,” Ndjadila said.He said 60 yellow cards were issued in both groups – 35 at Mariental and 25 at Gobabis.”This means that for the 12 matches played, about five players were cautioned per game, which is too much,” he said.He attributed the five red cards and 60 yellow cards to players’ lack of match fitness.”We did not have any active football for about five months, so players at this stage lack endurance and stamina to play competitively for 90 minutes.”All the red cards were given in the dying moments of the games, when players are tired.They often make silly mistakes which force match officials to punish them according to the laws of the game,” he stated.The FNB Cup will conclude the first round of the football season, with players expected to take a Christmas break.The premiership will resume on January 13 next year and players are encouraged to keep fit, practise twice a day and to apply a high level of discipline for the remainder of the season.This applies not only to players, but to match officials too.None of the 12 matches played in both Group A and B was decided by a penalty shootout, while both groups produced 16 goals each.The match commissioner of the FNB Cup, Boy-Boy Ndjadila, who is responsible for the wellbeing and placement of match officials, said that the 32 goals scored in Mariental and Gobabis compared well with any international matches.”If one divides the 32 goals by the 12 matches played, you will get an average of three goals,” he said.”Look at the Spanish or English Leagues, the average goals those players score per match are about three, therefore, Namibian strikers are not falling short of goal-scoring opportunities.”He was quick to mention that discipline amongst Namibian footballers was a cause for concern, as four players in Group A [Mariental] were red-carded, while one player in Group B was sent off.Lack of discipline was also evident amongst coaching staff, where a match official in a Group B match in Gobabis sent off Blue Waters coach Shepherd Murape.”This was bad, more so for players to see their coach expelled from the field,” Ndjadila said.He said 60 yellow cards were issued in both groups – 35 at Mariental and 25 at Gobabis.”This means that for the 12 matches played, about five players were cautioned per game, which is too much,” he said.He attributed the five red cards and 60 yellow cards to players’ lack of match fitness.”We did not have any active football for about five months, so players at this stage lack endurance and stamina to play competitively for 90 minutes.”All the red cards were given in the dying moments of the games, when players are tired.They often make silly mistakes which force match officials to punish them according to the laws of the game,” he stated.The FNB Cup will conclude the first round of the football season, with players expected to take a Christmas break.The premiership will resume on January 13 next year and players are encouraged to keep fit, practise twice a day and to apply a high level of discipline for the remainder of the season.This applies not only to players, but to match officials too.