NFA forges ahead with playoffs

THE Namibia Football Association (NFA) is pushing ahead with its Namibia Premier League (NPL) promotion playoffs despite legal threats by Benfica and Life Fighters.

The playoffs will enter the second stage this weekend after the first round, which mainly involved formerly relegated teams, was completed last weekend. The NFA yesterday issued the fixtures for the second round of playoffs, which will determine the two winners to be promoted to the Namibia Premier League .Friends emerged as winners Sunday and will now fight for promotion against four regional winners, which include United Stars, Black Morocco Chiefs (BMC), SKW, Touch & Go and Golden Bees Golden Bees survived the relegation chop last season and are now forced to play in the playoffs to keep their place, after they ended 11th in the league.Only 12 teams are needed in the NPL this time, unlike the 16 last season.At the weekend, Life Fighters boycotted the playoffs, while Benfica played under protest.The matches will be played this weekend at Otjiwarongo, with the first matches expected to start on Friday night.Friends, who were given a second chance to fight for promotion after being dead and buried by losing out in the premiership, will face BMC on Friday at 19h00.Their match will be followed in what is expected to be a crunch affair between Outjo-based Golden Bees and SKW at 21h00.Friends might secure a victory in this match after showing good form the past weekend, and their fitness level also give them the edge compared to BMC, who have not played competitively lately.SKW, champions of the Central West Nationwide First Division, have proven to be tough customers for most of their opponents in that league.The Bees face an uphill battle in this match and their chances are further being narrowed as they have not been involved in any major friendlies since the league ended in May.On Saturday, Touch & Go from Otavi, who previously also tasted premiership status despite losing with high margins then, will battle it out against Friends at 14h00.Friends are not assured of an easy win here, but their chances are good to progress, as they have been flawless since being given the opportunity to once again gun for their place in the elite league.Friends survived a season in the top league before they were axed last season.United Stars from Rundu will be up next against Golden Bees at 16h00.The Rundu side was in the top league five seasons ago and this will be their chance to make sure that the northern town has representation in the best league in the country.On Sunday, focus will once again shift to BMC who will take on Touch & Go in what is expected to be an even match.Kick-off is at 12h00.SKW will not have it easy in the game against United Stars starting at 14h00, as it will be a deciding match for both teams to be promoted, provided they won both their earlier matches.Friends will see it back into the premiership if they go past BMC and Touch & Go over the weekend, while SKW, which is another likely contender to be promoted, will go through if they have their way over Golden Bees and United Stars.The playoffs will determine two winners who will play in the supreme league, which is now set to start early next month.The Namibian football season, due to have started in August, was delayed by an arbitration case that involved Life Fighters and the NPL.The case was eventually resolved after the NFA called for fresh playoffs.Life Fighters boycotted the matches last weekend, arguing that they were not supposed to play in the first round of playoffs as they were never relegated.At this stage, the NFA has decided to let play continue despite the legal threats, as they argue that it is in the interest of the game.Benfica is also expected to challenge the NFA in that regard, but according to Fifa rules, teams are not allowed to take football associations to court.Yesterday, neither of the two teams was prepared to comment on the content of the appeals they will put to the association.The NFA yesterday issued the fixtures for the second round of playoffs, which will determine the two winners to be promoted to the Namibia Premier League .Friends emerged as winners Sunday and will now fight for promotion against four regional winners, which include United Stars, Black Morocco Chiefs (BMC), SKW, Touch & Go and Golden Bees Golden Bees survived the relegation chop last season and are now forced to play in the playoffs to keep their place, after they ended 11th in the league.Only 12 teams are needed in the NPL this time, unlike the 16 last season.At the weekend, Life Fighters boycotted the playoffs, while Benfica played under protest.The matches will be played this weekend at Otjiwarongo, with the first matches expected to start on Friday night.Friends, who were given a second chance to fight for promotion after being dead and buried by losing out in the premiership, will face BMC on Friday at 19h00.Their match will be followed in what is expected to be a crunch affair between Outjo-based Golden Bees and SKW at 21h00.Friends might secure a victory in this match after showing good form the past weekend, and their fitness level also give them the edge compared to BMC, who have not played competitively lately.SKW, champions of the Central West Nationwide First Division, have proven to be tough customers for most of their opponents in that league.The Bees face an uphill battle in this match and their chances are further being narrowed as they have not been involved in any major friendlies since the league ended in May.On Saturday, Touch & Go from Otavi, who previously also tasted premiership status despite losing with high margins then, will battle it out against Friends at 14h00.Friends are not assured of an easy win here, but their chances are good to progress, as they have been flawless since being given the opportunity to once again gun for their place in the elite league.Friends survived a season in the top league before they were axed last season.United Stars from Rundu will be up next against Golden Bees at 16h00.The Rundu side was in the top league five seasons ago and this will be their chance to make sure that the northern town has representation in the best league in the country.On Sunday, focus will once again shift to BMC who will take on Touch & Go in what is expected to be an even match.Kick-off is at 12h00.SKW will not have it easy in the game against United Stars starting at 14h00, as it will be a deciding match for both teams to be promoted, provided they won both their earlier matches.Friends will see it back into the premiership if they go past BMC and Touch & Go over the weekend, while SKW, which is another likely contender to be promoted, will go through if they have their way over Golden Bees and United Stars.The playoffs will determine two winners who will play in the supreme league, which is now set to start early next month.The Namibian football season, due to have started in August, was delayed by an arbitration case that involved Life Fighters and the NPL.The case was eventually resolved after the NFA called for fresh playoffs.Life Fighters boycotted the matches last weekend, arguing that they were not supposed to play in the first round of playoffs as they were never relegated.At this stage, the NFA has decided to let play continue despite the legal threats, as they argue that it is in the interest of the game.Benfica is also expected to challenge the NFA in that regard, but according to Fifa rules, teams are not allowed to take football associations to court.Yesterday, neither of the two teams was prepared to comment on the content of the appeals they will put to the association.