One of the most exciting finishes to the Namibia Premier League in recent years will now most probably not materialise on Saturday, after African Stars’ dragging dispute with the NPL was still unresolved on Thursday.
Earlier this week the NPL announced that the final eight minutes of Stars’ abandoned match against Orlando Pirates will be replayed next Tuesday, 17 June, with the result that it will throw Saturday’s Round 22 matches into disarray.
A further meeting by the NPL management committee regarding the Stars saga was planned for 11h00 Thursday, but by the time of writing, there was still no word about the outcome of the meeting.
At a press conference on Thursday, Tim Ekandjo of MTC, the main sponsors of the NPL, tried to salvage the situation by saying that the league champions would be decided tomorrow.
“We asked the NFA if the case is done and dusted and were assured that it was and that the league will be decided tomorrow. We have it confirmed in writing from the NFA that the league champions will be crowned this weekend,” he said.
Ekandjo however admitted that the dragging Stars case has put a spoke in the wheels and that the champions might not be determined tomorrow.
“The sponsors have prepared themselves to hand over the trophy tomorrow, but if there are other developments we will hear from the NPL Management Committee meeting at 11h00.”
The only way that Black Africa can win the league on Saturday is if they beat Tura Magic and Stars lose or draw to Blue Boys. If BA however lose, Stars will have to beat Blue Boys by at least three goals to win the league title, but even then the goal difference will still be unresolved until next Tuesday.
Ekandjo however remained upbeat, saying that they had made arrangements to hand over the trophy on Saturday.
“The league champions will be announced this weekend. As the sponsor we are very excited that the league campaign will end like this. We made arrangements at both the Sam Nujoma and Independence Stadiums in terms of handing over the cup.”
African Stars’ coach Woody Jacobs said they were expecting a tough match against Blue Boys.
“We see this as normal business and it will be tough. Blue Boys are facing relegation and will fight till the end. A win for us and a defeat for BA will mean that we will win the league title,” he said.
“We are ready and want to take the battle to Blue Boys and we will have our ears to the ground with what’s happening with Black Africa at the Independence Stadium,” he added.
African Stars won the Bidvest Namibia Cup last weekend for the second year in a row, when they beat Citizens on penalties, but Jacobs said that was a thing of the past.
“The guys were celebrating till late on Sunday after we won the Bidvest Cup. It seemed as if the script was written for that match to end in that way, but it shows the character and determination of the team, that they managed to pull it through.
We have no ‘babelas’ from our Bidvest Cup victory and this weekend it will be the same for us again.”
Jacobs said that Stars had already had a great season.
“We’ve had a great season and my highlights were our performances against Petro Atletico and Mamelodi Sundowns, while we also finally got rid of the jinx of not beating Black Africa. So if we don’t win the league, BA will show that they are the true champions,” he said.
Black Africa assistant coach Eric Quest said they we were determined to win the league on Saturday.
“Our aim this season was to win the double, but it was not meant to be.
It seems as if Tura Magic are our hoodoo team nowadays, but we have prepared well and are looking forward to end on a high note. The ball is in our court – if we beat Tura Magic the league is ours and we won’t slip up this time,” he said.
In Saturday’s other Round 22 matches, there will also be a fierce battle to avoid relegation, with three sides – Rundu Chiefs, Blue Boys and Eleven Arrows – in the drop zone.
Like Blue Boys against Stars, Rundu Chiefs also face a tough assignment against Tigers at the SKW Stadium, while Eleven Arrows take on coastal rivals Blue Waters at the Kuisebmund Stadium.
At the Ramblers stadium, Orlando Pirates will want to hang onto a third place finish on the log with a victory against seventh-placed Civics.
NPL league administrator Joshua Hoebeb meanwhile confirmed that the promotion relegation matches for next season’s Premier League will take place next weekend, and will feature Rebels from Windhoek, Benfica from Tsumeb, Mighty Gunners from Otjiwarongo and the second bottom-placed Premier League team.
The season ending Namibia Premier League awards function will also take place next Friday, 20 June at the Safari Court.
