Eeshoke Chula Chula will meet cross-town rivals KK Palace in the pick of this weekend’s NFA Cup Round of 32 matches at Oshakati’s Severin Kambonde Gabriel Ashivudhi (SKGA) Sports Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
Both teams had excellent seasons in the Premier League, with Chula Chula nearly winning the title before being pipped to the post by African Stars, while KK Palace, who also led the log in the early stages, eventually finished fifth.
In the league, KK Palace held a slight edge over their northern rivals, winning their first round encounter 2-1, while their second leg encounter ended in a goalless draw.
The Namibia Football Association yesterday revealed the Round of 32 draw which sees some other high profile Premier League encounters, although there have also been some withdrawals due to financial constraints, while other teams have been excluded due to infringements.
Premier League teams of last season, Julinho Athletic, Bucks Buccaneers and Tigers, had all previously withdrawn due to financial constraints, along with Life Fighters, although the latter have reversed that decision and will now compete in the Round of 32 after all.
In other changes, several clubs have been ommitted due to NFA rules that prohibit more than one club from one institution from playing in the same competition.
Navy FC, Correctional Eleven and Unam Rundu Campus were all disqualified since they already have teams representing the same institution, in Mighty Gunners, Khomas Nampol, and Unam FC respectively, while Omaheke Sports Club was disqualified after fielding an ineligible player.
All these teams have been replaced by the runners-up in their respective NFA Cup preliminary round matches. Correctional Eleven have been replaced by Dynamos, Unam Rundu Campus were replaced by United Stars, Navy were replaced by Square7, and Omaheke Sports Club were replaced by Gobabis Sport Club.
Coastal sides Blue Waters and Eleven Arrows both travel to Windhoek and face tough encounters against fellow premier league sides on Sunday.
Blue Waters, who finished sixth in the premier league, take on 12th-placed Young African, while eighth placed Arrows take on Khomas Nampol who just survived in the premier league after finishing 13th.
At the same venue on Saturday, the defending champions African Stars take on Classic FC from the Hardap region, while the recently crowned Standard Bank Top 8 champions, Mighty Gunners, take on Nust FC, who won the Khomas second division preliminaries.
FC Ongos, who finished fourth in the premier league, face a tough task when they travel to Mariental’s Persianer Stadium to take on Dates Eleven, who won the Southern Stream First Division preliminary round, while Young Brazilians take on Brazilie FC at the same venue on Saturday.
In matches at the Rundu Stadium on Saturday, Divayi United take on Dynamos FC, United Stars take on Monaco FC, and Bright Stars take on Rundu Chiefs.
In matches at the Oshakati Stadium on Saturday, Young Braves take on Life Fighters, Golden Bigs take on Okahandja United, and Unam FC take on African Motto.
On Sunday in Oshakati, Pubs FC take on Mkwamalanga FC, and Okamwandi United take on Fontein City, before the big clash between Chula Chula and KK Palace.
