AFRICAN Stars lost their cool, Blue Waters almost shocked the champions and Rusten Mogane jumped for joy during an eventful round of Namibia Premier League action over the weekend.
While Heinrich Isaacs’s stunning strike earned Civics a morale-boosting 1-0 victory over Stars on Friday night, the match was shrouded by indiscipline as either side finished the game with ten men. Stars goalkeeper Max Mbaeva was sent off for swearing at the referee, his coach Bobby Samaria was banished from the touchline for disorderly conduct and ‘Starlile’ faithful responded in trademark fashion by hurling beer cans onto the pitch. For Civics, Dynamo Fredericks was dismissed after picking up two yellow cards. ‘The officiating of games leaves much to be desired because my team felt very hard done by by a number of dubious decisions that went against us,’ Samaria said at the final whistle. In Walvis Bay, ailing Blue Waters were on the threshold of a momentous victory against the seemingly complacent log leaders on Saturday. However striker Jerome Louis’s late effort rescued a point for Black Africa after Blue Waters had taken an unlikely 2-1 lead through Hendrik Somaeb and Kufahakutizwi Mabasa. Klaas Blom was on target for BA in a match characterised by a determined team effort from the struggling home side and lacklustre play from the champions. BA have nonetheless extended their lead at the top to four points. Hotspurs and United Stars dished up further suspense in their 2-2 draw at the Independence Stadium in Windhoek. In a dramatic start to the match, Eduardo Eiseb put Hotspurs ahead after only one minute, but Steven Matjayi equalised for Stars after 5m.Gomes Casanova restored Hotspurs’ lead after 50m, but United Stars once again struck back when Benedictus Mbangu equalised four minutes later. A brace from Frans De Muinda and a Lucky Kooper strike had a relieved Rusten Mogane jumping for joy as Orlando Pirates clinically disposed of a sorry Eleven Arrows. After the lanky Michael Pienaar impressively overlapped from the back to set up Kooper’s goal, Mogane could hardly contain himself as he raced from his seat to join in the players’ celebration near the corner flag. Tigers and SKW played out to a timid 1-1 at the SKW field in the least dramatic match of the round. SKW took the lead early in the second half when Panduleni Nekundi stabbed in a cross by Joslin Kamutuka. Tigers however upped the tempo and equalised through a great goal by Benson Shilongo, who cut inside his defender to score at the near post.- Additional reporting by namibiasport.com.na
