Northern First Division faces race against time to conclude

THE Northern Stream First Division (NSFD) has until July 24 to decide their representative in next season’s premier division, NPL CEO Matthew Haikali said yesterday.

Having already released his fixtures for the 2010/11 campaign, Haikali informed The Namibian Sport that, if necessary, the premier league would start without a team from the troubled northern division if it did not finish its league programme by the set date. The cash-strapped league came to a standstill in mid-April, midway through the league’s first leg, before it resumed early this month. As a direct consequence the promotion of a club to the premier league from its ranks has been pushed back as Blue Boys have already been promoted from Southern Stream.With only 14 of the 25 rounds played, and with less than five weeks to go, the second-tier league faces a race against time to promote a team to the NPL as Haikali said his league ‘will kick off without the Northern Stream winner’.’Our condition is that by the 24th (July) the league should have been completed,’ Haikali said before adding that the NPL’s AGM will be held on that date, and thus ‘by the time the AGM commences, a team from that division must already have been promoted so as to incorporate them in the new season’s discussions.’’I’m not aware of a deadline from the NPL,’ said NSFD’s league administrator Bennet Munango. ‘The NPL has our fixtures list which exactly states that we will only complete the league on Sunday August 8. ‘We only started with the second round last weekend. The teams are eager to complete the league as soon as possible.’Haikali added that if the league does not conclude in time, ‘a resolution on what exactly transpires’ will be taken at the AGM. The winner of the NSFD, led by Mighty Gunners, will play Oshakati City away. Chief Santos, Robber Chanties, Cuca Tops and Eleven Warriors are all still in contention for the coveted premier league spot.The first NPL round will also see defending champions African Stars’ title defence begin at home to Blue Waters, with runners-up Orlando Pirates hosting the Leo NFA Cup beaten finalists Civics. Black Africa, who finished third, are also at home to Cymot SKW who finished in seventh, as Tigers, fourth-place finishers last season, are away to premier league debutants Blue Boys from Swakopmund.Eleven Arrows finished seventh and will travel to Windhoek to face Ramblers who were on the brink of relegation as they finished third bottom of the league, which will kick of in mid-September.- sheefeni@namibian.com.na