Premier League title race tightens 

Namibia Premier Football League title race intensified over the weekend as defending champions African Stars returned to the top of the table with back-to-back wins.

Stars beat Mighty Gunners 1-0 on Friday before thrashing Life Fighters 3-0 on Sunday to climb to 41 points.

They are level on points with Eeshoke Chula Chula but lead on goal difference, +17 to Eeshoke’s +15, after the northern side drew 1-1 with Eleven Arrows at the coast.

Eeshoke bounced back with a 2-0 win over Blue Waters to remain firmly in the title hunt.

Stars forward Awilo Stephanus says the win against Mighty Gunners was crucial after last weekend’s defeat to Rundu Chiefs.

Stars and Chula Chula have opened up a seven-point gap on the chasing pack with Mighty Gunners now third on 34 points, while FC Ongos are a point behind, after two draws against Young African (1-1) and Tigers (0-0).

Ongos coach Ronnie Kanalelo, speaking after the draw against Young African in which FC Ongos scored in the dying minutes, said conceding in the first half made the task harder.

“We made it difficult for ourselves, but we kept pushing. Psychologically, we are strong. Even when one goal down, we don’t panic. We kept pushing until the corner in the 93rd minute. Taking a point could prove important in the long run.”

Julinho Athletic boosted their survival hopes with back-to-back 2-1 victories over Okahandja United and Bucks Buccaneers.

Coach Nelson Luis described the Bucks Buccaneers game as hard-fought.

“It was a difficult game. They came at us very strongly, but they ran out of legs, and we got back into the game. We started playing our football and took control.”

On the team’s relegation campaign, he said: “We never thought about survival. We know we’ve got a good team. We’ve been unlucky in conceding goals, but we’ve been scoring a lot as well. Next weekend, we go to Chula Chula and KK Palace – difficult teams, but we expect to continue this good run.”

Rundu Chiefs also enjoyed a good weekend, bouncing back from a 1-0 loss to Bucks Buccaneers by defeating Okahandja United 2-0 on Sunday.

Life Fighters remain anchored at the bottom of the log with 15 points after defeats to Khomas Nampol (2-1) and African Stars (3-0).

Captain Kavejama Kaujama says: “It’s very disappointing, but it’s a game of football . . . We have to rectify our mistakes and go forward again. In football, it’s never over until it’s over. We are going up until the last game. We still have hope.”

Khomas Nampol coach Fortunes Eichab, after their 2-1 win over Life Fighters, said: “It was a difficult game against a team that wants to come out and fight.

“At half-time, we had a serious talk because the way we played in the first half was not what we’ve been doing all season. In the second half, it brought results.”

Tigers are second last on the log on 16 points following two draws.

On Saturday, they faced Unam in a thrilling match that could have given them three points.

Teofilus Junius scored in the 87th minute, seemingly giving Tigers the win, but Unam’s Nestor Iyambo struck a dramatic equalizer in the dying moments to secure a 1-1 draw.

Co-coach Woody Jacobs, who joined to assist Brian Issacks, praised his squad’s resilience after Sunday’s 0-0 draw with FC Ongos: “The plus for me is that we moved up from the bottom. We didn’t concede today, that’s a plus.

“The only thing lacking is scoring goals, but we created chances. It’s not over until it’s over. Next weekend we face Nampol and African Stars, two massive games, but I believe in our promise of tomorrow.”

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