THE final day of action in the Namibia Premier League will be characterised by angst and suspicion as league authorities try to dispel fears of match-fixing involving teams fighting to avoid relegation to the first division.
One of Julinho Sporting, Eleven Arrows and Touch Go will drop down to second tier football, along with Benfica and Rebels, after tomorrow afternoon’s final round of matches.
Touch Go, who occupy the final relegation spot, are so convinced that their rivals will use underhand tactics to secure their premiership statuses that they wrote to the NPL, urging them to step up their vigilance.
In his letter to NPL league administrator Josua //Hoëbeb on Wednesday, the Otavi-based clubs’s public relations officer Jefta Gaoab claims that unspecified “team officials, referees and even players are being bribed or promised handsome or sizeable amounts [of money] to throw matches”. He pointed to the outcome of matches in Sunday’s penultimate round as evidence of malpractice and a conspiracy to see his side relegated.
While Touch Go drew 2-2 at Blue Waters, Arrows lost 2-1 at home to Benfica and Julinho were thumped 3-1 by Orlando Pirates in Windhoek.
On Saturday, Touch Go beat Arrows 2-0 and Julinho defeated Mighty Gunners 2-1.
“The outcome of our match [which ended 2-2] against Blue Waters could have been different and in our favour if the referee [Fillemon Shikongo] had kept to the allotted two minutes of injury time after 90 minutes and not exceeded with additional two minutes in which the equaliser was scored,” Jefta said.
Tough Go will be relegated if they fail to beat bottom-side Benfica at the Oscar Norich Stadium in Tsumeb.
Only a scenario where they pick up maximum points and their rivals draw or lose will enable to remain in the elite division.
Eleventh-placed Julinho play United Stars, who are one place above them, at the Rundu Sport Stadium, while Arrows face Blue Waters at the Kuisebmund Stadium.
“This is tantamount to match fixing and corruption and brings the beautiful game of football into disrepute. These nasty dealings are being conducted for the teams to retain their premiership status at the expense of the others who do not have the financial power to bribe match officials, players and the management of other teams,” he said.
In response, //Hoëbeb said he was not surprised by Gaoab’s allegations, given that it is a familiar stance for many club officials during this time of the season.
“The NPL always gets these types of complaints towards the end of the season when clubs are fighting to stay in the league. These complaints are never there at the beginning or in the middle of the season,” said //Hoëbeb.
“There is no evidence. At the moment these are unsubstantiated allegations,” he added.
“We know match-fixing is a big problem in football all over the world. We are always on alert from the first whistle of the season. There is no reason to panic. We are keeping our eyes open,” he said.
In other matches, league champions African Stars will round of their season at the Sam Nujoma Stadium with a match against a Tura Magic team still chasing second position.
Magic will hope that second-placed BA drop points against mid-table Unam at the Unam Stadium.
Windhoek’s Independence Stadium will host Civics against Civilians, Rebels play Tigers at SKW Stadium and Mighty Gunners will use the Paresis Stadium as their base to welcome Orlando Pirates to Otjiwarongo.
