Goals galore in Leo Cup last 32

THE Leo NFA Cup last 32 round treated football fans to plenty of goalmouth action as the competition for the coveted cup competition moves to the last 16 stage.

The Mokati Stadium in Otjiwarongo saw an avalanche of goals as first Civics, who won by biggest margin, laid down a marker for their opponents with a resounding 12 – 1 annihilation of Kavango United followed by Eleven Arrows who put 7 past Omeege United without reply, with Arrows winger Romanus Shilongo helping himself to six goals. Also on Saturday, a rampant Ramblers side sailed past Sailors with six goals to nil at Kuisebmond Stadium. At the same venue Black Africa eased past Blue Waters with a comfortable 3 – 1 victory over Blue Waters. Defending champions Orlando Pirates beat Golden Bees 1 – 0 to progress. In Windhoek, SKW needed penalties to overcome a determined Tura Magic 8 – 7 after surrendering a two-goal lead to the first division Southern Stream side on Friday at SKW Stadium. On Saturday at the same venue, Chief Santos defeated Young Beauties 2-1, and Gariseb Orlando Pirates lost out 1-0 to a confident but wasteful Try Again side.However, the tie of the round belonged to premier league rivals African Stars and Tigers, whose match was marred by crowd trouble. The match had to be stopped in the second half, with Stars leading 1 – 0, as fights broke out between rival supporters which resulted in a Stars supporter being taken to hospital with a broken leg. On the pitch, sparks already started flying when Stars workhorse Ninja Karongee was red-carded early on for back-chatting the referee. Karongee got two yellows and a red, the first for an ill-timed lunge on Tigers midfielder Victor Blaauw and the second for dissent. Despite having numerical superiority, Tigers failed to dominate proceedings as Stars looked the more threatening of the two sides. It was Stars who broke the deadlock soon after when Heinrich Kazeurua volleyed home from close range after good work from Rudi Louw to set him up. Tigers could not regroup and Stars held on for a 1 – 0 lead at the break. The second half continued in the same fashion with Stars having the better of an out-of-sorts Tigers. Sensing victory, Stars coach Booby Samaria made a double substitution up front early in the second, bringing on speedy frontmen Ikuaterua Tjozongoro and burley Gerson Katjatenja. The two frontmen combined well to set up the second goal for Stars. On 80 minutes, a long punt upfield by Stars goalkeeper Maximillian Mbaeva was nodded down by Katjatenja for his strike partner Tjozongoro to run onto to and to poke beyond onrushing Tigers Goalkeeper Charles Uirab.Soon after frustrated and ineffective Tigers captain Tangeni Shipahu lost his cool was subsequently given his marching orders for uttering abusive comments towards a referee’s assistant.The NFA issued a statement yesterday condemning the violence that broke out during the match between African Stars and Tigers. ‘The NFA assures the football-loving fraternity that it is awaiting reports from the security firm entrusted with provision of security at the game as well as the report from the Match Commissioner. The NFA will peruse the reports as soon as possible and due investigation will be undertaken to determine the right course of action, where necessary,’ it said. ‘The Association again reiterates that the facility’s magnitude was and is viable to host any match at the moment and regrets that some individual or group of people behaved unruly and indeed jeopardised the safety of others, including the players,’ read the statement.sheefeni@namibian.com.na