Ongos’ rising star following in Shalulile’s boots 

FC Ongos forward Nicodemus Shapwa Haikali says he drew inspiration from Brave Warriors captain Peter Shalulile after scoring in his idol’s boots during the Debmarine Namibia Premier League one-all draw against Eeshoke Chula Chula on Saturday.

The winger (24) received a surprise gift from the Mamelodi Sundowns star, who handed Haikali a pair of his personalised football boots just hours before Ongos’ match.

“It was a wonderful feeling. He [Shalulile] called me today and told me to pick them up at his place,” Haikali said after the match.

“Then he later said, ‘no, I’ll bring them to you’. I thought it was all a joke.”

Haikali marked the occasion of his sixth league goal of the season by mimicking one of Shalulile’s signature goal celebrations after calmly finishing a one-on-one chance against the Chula-Chula goalkeeper.

Shalulile, who is poised to become the first Namibian to feature at the upcoming Fifa Club World Cup, is a product of Tura Magic, now Ongos, where he made his mark before moving abroad to become Sundown’s all time leading goalscorer.

“If you look at all my celebrations, I get them from him,” Haikali said.

“So it’s a way up top, no looking back. I believe this is just something I can build on.”

Reflecting on the goal itself, Haikali credited his coaching staff for helping him stay composed in front of goal.

“The coaches always tell me to be composed whenever I get to the box,” he said.

“I shouldn’t let the goalkeeper decide for me, I should pick a spot and put the ball there.”

He singled out assistant coach Marvin ‘Maka’ Mbakera for helping refine his finishing.

“Coach Maka always told me to put the ball where the keeper is coming from and to stay in control of the ball,” Haikali said.

Unfortunately, Haikali’s blessing did not manifest in the same manner for Ongos who lost ground on log leaders African Stars.

Ongos only picked up two points over the weekend, following another 1-1 draw with KK Palace on Sunday.

Stars, meanwhile, bagged four points, after beating Blue Boys 2-1 away on Saturday and then playing to a 1-1 stalemate against Blue Waters, to open up a three-point lead at the summit of the log.

Khomas Nampol stay second, on 37 points, after a goalless draw with Unam and 2-2 result against Bucks Buccaneers, with Young Africans (YA) in third and Mighty Gunners in fourth also on the same number of points.

YA lost 3-1 to Blue Waters on Saturday before sharing the points in the 1-1 draw with struggling Blue Boys.

The Gunners leapfrogged Ongos with a 3-1 win over 13th-placed Julinho Sporting before surprisingly being held 1-1 by bottom side Cuca Tops, who lost 2-0 to Okahandja United a day earlier.

There was more misery for the second-last Young Brazillians (YB) who suffered heavy defeats over the weekend, going down 4-0 to Unam on Saturday and then 3-1 to the Buccaneers the day after.

YB were one of two sides to lose both their matches, with free-falling Tigers the other.

Ninth-placed Tigers lost 1-0 at home to Eeshoke Chula Chula in seventh place, and 3-1 to KK Palace, who now lie eighth.

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