Tigers make stunning comeback

TIGERS made a stunning comeback to beat Citizens 5-3 on Wednesday night to temporarily move out of the relegation zone.
In an incredible match, Citizens took a 3-0 lead midway through the second half, but Tigers produced an astonishing revival, scoring five goals in the last 15 minutes to complete a great victory.

The victory saw Tigers moving up two places to 12th on the log on 16 points in an intensifying relegation battle, with seven teams now within two points of each other.
On Wednesday, Simeon Hosea gave Citizens an early lead when he pounced onto a loose ball to score from an acute angle. Tigers came back strongly with Rewaldo Prins supplying some fine crosses from the wing, but they could not capitalise on their chances.
Citizens weathered the storm and went further ahead when Joel Bedzram scored from the edge of the box, while a great header by George Hummel put them 3-0 up with 19 minutes to go.

Tigers then clicked into overdrive as substitute striker Itamunua Keimuine opened their account when he slammed home a rebound from a corner.
Another pinpoint corner cross by Gustav Isaak led to their second, from an own goal after pressure in the box, while another substitute, Uri Mooiu, finished off a counterattack to make it 3-3 with eight minutes to go.

Citizens were rattled, and Tigers weren’t done as their swift counter-attacks caught Citizens’ defence flatfooted in the final minutes.
Absalom Iimbondi put them 4-3 ahead when he outpaced the defence, while Tangeni Shipahu added the final nail in the coffin, slamming home a cross by Isaak.

It was a stunning reversal of fortune, but Tigers striker Tangeni Shipahu on Wednesday said they should never have been in that position.
“We wasted a lot of chances in the first half. We should have been up 3-0 or 4-0, but we conceded some easy goals. In the second half, though, we made a few changes and brought on some substitutes, and then we pushed and started getting some goals back,” he said.
“I think we were just too defensive in the first half, but in the second half we started to play more attacking soccer, and that’s how we scored the five goals in the last 15 minutes,” he said.

The former national striker said he has gained a new lease of life since rejoining Tigers after a stint abroad in Thailand.
“I almost retired when I came back from abroad, because I had a few things to do after football, but Tigers called me back because they were struggling a bit with strikers, so I just said to myself okay, I’m still fit, so let me just help the team.
“But when I rejoined Tigers I actually came back as a striker coach, but then they felt I just have to try a few games to see how it goes, and so far its been good.”

With the Debmarine Premiership now approaching the halfway stage, African Stars seem to be running away with the title as they have already built up a commanding 12-point lead at the top of the log.

Tomorrow, however, they face a tough away trip to Gobabis for their match against an improving Young African side at the Legare Stadium.

Okahandja United, who have moved up to second position on the log, take on eighth-placed Civics at the SKW Stadium in a replay of their previous match which was abandoned due to a rain storm, while third-placed Life Fighters and Julinho Sporting (seventh) will travel to the capital to take on Unam (ninth) and Tura Magic (13th) at Unam Stadium.

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