Quality Futsal Club took a decisive lead in the Futsal Namibia Men’s Premier League after the weekend’s matches, but indiscipline and disorder marred the league’s image.
The match between Quality and Ballers nearly ended in a fight, while Ballers’ coach received a red card, while the match between the Mavericks and Windhoek Futsal Club also ended in disarray after three Mavericks players were red-carded.
Quality secured their sixth successive victory after beating Ballers 5-2, to move two points clear at the top of the log with a game in hand on their closest rivals.
Luis Solunga and Chisloth Nunda scored two goals each for Quality, and Ezio Chivas one, while Raymonzo Stern and Max Boll replied for Ballers.
The game was still evenly balanced at halftime with Quality holding a slender 2-1 lead, but indiscipline cost them after the break as they received some yellow cards.
The match ended in disarray with some Ballers players and supporters threatening one of the referees, while co-referee David Davids also gave a red card to Ballers’ coach.
“After the match one of the Ballers supporters grabbed the referee by the neck and there was nearly a fight, but we managed to chase him out of the hall,” David said.
“Ballers’ coach continued to harass the referee, so I gave him a red card and he will have to sit out the next match,” he added.
Ballers’ captain Elmor Delie acknowledged that their discipline let them down.
“We feel that some decisions went against us that led to some crucial things that shouldn’t have happened, but that’s all I can say about that,” he said.
“We were a bit unlucky, we conceded some silly goals that shouldn’t have gone in and we should have controlled our temper a bit better, but fair play to Quality for winning the match – we just need to move on from here,” he added.
More indiscipline followed in a subsequent match between Windhoek Futsal Club and the Mavericks, which had to be abandoned seven minutes before the end, with WFC leading 6-1.
WFC built up a 3-1 lead by halftime, while the Mavericks received three yellow cards due to indiscipline.
WFC added three more goals after the break, while the Mavericks’ indiscipline deteriorated further, as three of their players received red cards.
The match eventually had to be abandoned with seven minutes remaining when David, this time officiating as the tower manager, had to call in security to restore order.
“One of their players came to the tower and started threatening me, while another player kicked the TV monitor and damaged it. We will not tolerate indiscipline and we will now hold a meeting to decide what fines they will receive,” he said.
WFC’s goal scorers were Verapi Katjingisiua (two), Daniel Kagiso, Kamatuka Nanguie, Nanta Ndevakulila and Denzel Mukinga, while Garisel Zharia scored for the Mavericks.
That win put WFC second on the log on 16 points, two behind Quality, while The Mavericks are ninth on six points.
The defending champions, Patriots, meanwhile, joined WFC on 16 points after drawing 3-3 against Chile FC, while X Men moved up to fourth place on 13 points after a great comeback 5-4 victory against Replica FC.
Replica FC seemed to be cruising to victory when they led 4-1 at halftime, but X Men made a great second half comeback to win the match 5-4.
Damian Walters (two), Mark Anthony Panizza, his brother Clayton Panizza and Romario Swartz scored for X Men, while Aliane Quimungue scored all four goals for Replica.