Poor discipline threatens Northern Stream First Division

POOR discipline and unsporting behaviour are threatening to derail the Northern Stream First Division football league from meeting its date of completion.

Three matches in the past two weeks have had to be abandoned after unruly officials and players put paid to amicable endings, fuelling further concerns to whether the lagging league will be concluded in just over three weeks’ time. With most teams having played fewer than 18 matches, they must now brace themselves for a hectic league run-in, said the League’s Administrator, Bennet Munango.
‘I don’t think we will go over the deadline,’ he said.
‘We will just have to fixture the matches in such a way that we meet the deadline of August 8.’
The match between Epupa 11 Stars and Cuca Tops last weekend never kicked off because ‘Cuca Tops refused to play as they had been waiting for the assistant referee to turn up for 15 minutes after the kick off time’.
During the same round of matches, Golden Bees ‘forced’ the referee to end their match against Mighty Gunners following a disputed late second-half penalty. According to the ref’s post-match report, Golden Bees players did not allow Gunners to take their awarded spot-kick and thus the game was called off. A week earlier Epupa 11 Stars again had a match abandoned after getting embroiled in another unsavoury ending to their second half against Eleven Warriors. Trailing 3-0, and after the second of two 11 Stars players was dismissed, the Epupa team refused to take part in the match any further.
Following the recent trouble at matches, Munango said that teams in the division were their own worst enemy, and that a more professional approach to games would improve the troubled league’s image and ultimately result in its smooth operation. He said aggrieved teams must forward their concerns through the right channels and not disrupt the games. A disciplinary hearing will be held before July 23 to decide the course of action.
‘They were crying that they needed money and that they only wanted to finish the league, but now they are abandoning the games. Teams have to ensure that supporters, players and officials behave in an orderly manner and comply with the rules.
‘After the hearing we will know what action will be taken,’ Munago said.
Mighty Gunners lead the race for automatic promotion to the elite domestic football league on 34 points after 17 matches. Robber Chanties, a point behind, in second and Chief Santos in third on 31 have both played a game more and are eyeing the top prize. Golden Bees and Eleven Warriors are separated by goal difference in fourth and fifth place on 28 each, followed by Onambula United on 26 with Cuca Tops a further four points behind. Epupa 11 Stars occupy eight spot, having played 15 matches only, followed by Touch & Go who have a point less on 20.
Biku Rundu Chiefs and Eleven Brothers are hovering above the relegation zone on 19 points each, with Bingo on 13, and 10 point, Tropical Heat occupying the last two places on the log.

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