Great start by Julinho as Super League kicks off 

Julinho Athletic Football Club staged a great comeback to hold FC Ongos to a 3-3 draw as the FNB Women Super League got underway over the weekend. 

In other matches, newly-promoted Mighty Angels stunned African Stars Queens with a 1-0 win, while VPower Angels, Mighty Gunners and Khomas Nampol also started off with comprehensive wins. 

At the Unam field Julinho, who only finished seventh in last season’s league, finished strongly to grab a share of the spoils against powerhouses FC Ongos.

Ongos came out attacking and took an early 2-0 lead through goals by Ivonne Kooper and Precious Hambira within the first 15 minutes. Kooper opened their account when she ran onto a long throughball to volley home, while barely three minutes later Hambira made it 2-0 when Julinho keeper Sarafina Khuruses fumbled a freekick and Hambira stabbed the loose ball into the net. 

Julinho, however, made a stunning comeback and drew level after two goals in three minutes. 

Veronica van Wyk first pounced from a corner to put the loose ball into the net, and then Mercia Skrywer hit the back of the net with a cracking long range shot.

Ongos, however, responded in style when Star Kapofi stabbed home a rebound from a freekick to give them a 3-2 lead at the halftime break. 

Kapofi came close to increasing Ongos’ lead when she hit the crossbar with a cracking shot, but Julinho rode their luck and showed great resolve to fight their way back into the match. 

Asteria Angula nearly equalised when she was put through on goal but Ongos’ keeper Agnes Kauzuu pulled off a point blank save, while at the other end, Khuruses pulled off a diving save to deny Hambira. 

Julinho’s constant pressure, however, finally bore fruit when Angula ran onto a loose ball and beat Kauzuu with a great shot to grab a share of the spoils. 

It was a fine performance by Julinho, as well as the hard-working Angula, who put in a battling performance in the midfield, besides scoring the equaliser. After the match she said their team spirit carried them through. 

“It was a tough game, but I thank the girls who didn’t give up from the start. We started late with our training, but our off-season training as well as our own individual training helped us, and the spirit of the girls carried us through the game,” she said. 

“We played as a team, and our unity carried us through. Ongos is one of the toughest teams and our team is mostly made up of juniors, but despite their lack of experience, they looked up to the seniors, who also encouraged them to raise their game,” she added. 

“In the past when we played Ongos we normally lost by a single goal, but now with our new squad and the combinations that we made, nothing is impossible, and I was determined to score the equaliser for the team,” she said. 

Arrows, Unam share the spoils 

In another encounter at the Unam Stadium, Arrows Ladies and Unam Bokkies battled it out to a hard-fought 1-1 draw. 

In a match of few chances, Unam had the better opportunities in the first half but could not put them away. 

They came close from a goal mouth scramble in the 30th minute but Arrows defender Roide Ndumba managed to clear the ball off the line, and then, Arrows’ keeper pulled off a point blank save to deny Vekendisa Ujaha.

Ewaldine Eises hit the back of the net for Unam on the stroke of halftime but the goal was disallowed for offside. 

Unam finally opened their account shortly after the break through a great strike by Tangi Mulundu after a rebound from a corner.

Arrows, however, fought back and Kanene Tjizu equalised when she stabbed in a loose ball after Queandra Batista could not control a freekick by Loide Immanuel.

Both teams gave it their all in the final stages, but could not find the winner as they had to settle for a share of the spoils. 

Newly-promoted Mighty Angels made a great start with a 1-0 win against African Stars Queens at the Oshakati Stadium. 

Angels last season won the Oshana Women’s Regional League, and gained promotion to the top flight after winning the Northern Zone promotion playoffs in November. 

On Saturday they came up against a strong African Stars outfit that finished third last season, but the newcomers made a stunning start as Hileni Ihuhua scored their winner after only three minutes. 

In other matches, VPower Angels beat Nust Babes 4-0; Mighty Gunners beat Windhoek City 3-0, and Khomas Nampol beat Desert Foxes 3-0. 

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