Tigers pounce on Stars

AFRICAN Stars’ supporters and players were made to accept what they did not anticipate.

Defeat. Stars lost 3-2 to Tigers in a lukewarm MTC Namibia Premier League encounter at the Sam Nujoma Stadium on Wednesday night, a match many believed belonged to Stars.The hard-to-please but diehard Stars fans, who turned up in numbers to rally behind their team, were left with a bitter taste in their mouths as their team put in a poor performance for the first time this season.Worst is that Stars threw away their 2-1 lead in the second half, all this due to a poor spell by most of their players who missed easy chances in front of goal, a dismantled midfield, while the defence was out of sorts.First choice goalkeeper Maxmillian Mbaeva and hard-tackling defender Steven Tjeenao both started on the bench, a move which led to the demise of the team.Tjeenao complements Andrew Tjahikika well in defence and his presence was missed as Tjahikika struggled to keep it tight at the back.Stars goalkeeper Ecresol Kongoro on numerous occasions failed to take charge of the high balls and he spilled several of them.The youngster was replaced midway through the second half by Mbaeva who came on to make three fantastic saves that could have increased Tigers’ tally.Despite the presence of the commanding Congo Hondjou in midfield, Stars struggled to maintain the momentum they started the match with, giving plenty of room to Tigers, who did not impress until the second half.Hindjou’s neat passes found their way to the front, but his main target man, Brouwers Litombo, had a hard time in finding the net, as Fox Nambundunga in goal for Tigers showed his experience.Nambundunga kept his team in contention with good aerial saves.He is one of the few senior players left in the team, after the departure of most of his reliable teammates at the back this season.Now coached by Willem Kapukare, Tigers capitalised on the many mistakes of the opposition and opened their account in the first minutes when Tangeni Shipahu lobbed in the ball over Kongoro who raced towards him from his lines.Former Blue Waters left-back Getzen Ndjiharine equalised, before Celestine Wasserfall, who also played for the coastal side, made it 2-1 for Stars.The score line at halftime had the Stars supporters and players sensing victory, with mild celebrations going on among the crowd.That confidence was shattered when the second half resumed.The second half belonged to Tigers as they had more precise passes, with Leonard Stanley running well into gaps creating chances for his strikers, which eventually paid off when Dokkies Schmidt found the net through a header.Tigers scored the winner through the busy Stanley to silence and at the same time anger the Stars fans, who expected a big winning margin, considering the poor form in which Tigers were before the match.The win was the first for Tigers this season, a match which also saw the hard running Eliphas Heita working overtime in midfield.Tigers have lost top four players to Ramblers this season and will have no choice but to battle on with a host of youngsters for the rest of the season.Stars also have a relatively young side and will be required to stabilise their midfield and find a real predator who can hunt for goals.Hindjou is reliable, but needs midfielders who can assist strikers in scoring goals from the centre of the park, despite their trademark attacks from the wings.Stars lost 3-2 to Tigers in a lukewarm MTC Namibia Premier League encounter at the Sam Nujoma Stadium on Wednesday night, a match many believed belonged to Stars.The hard-to-please but diehard Stars fans, who turned up in numbers to rally behind their team, were left with a bitter taste in their mouths as their team put in a poor performance for the first time this season.Worst is that Stars threw away their 2-1 lead in the second half, all this due to a poor spell by most of their players who missed easy chances in front of goal, a dismantled midfield, while the defence was out of sorts.First choice goalkeeper Maxmillian Mbaeva and hard-tackling defender Steven Tjeenao both started on the bench, a move which led to the demise of the team.Tjeenao complements Andrew Tjahikika well in defence and his presence was missed as Tjahikika struggled to keep it tight at the back.Stars goalkeeper Ecresol Kongoro on numerous occasions failed to take charge of the high balls and he spilled several of them.The youngster was replaced midway through the second half by Mbaeva who came on to make three fantastic saves that could have increased Tigers’ tally.Despite the presence of the commanding Congo Hondjou in midfield, Stars struggled to maintain the momentum they started the match with, giving plenty of room to Tigers, who did not impress until the second half.Hindjou’s neat passes found their way to the front, but his main target man, Brouwers Litombo, had a hard time in finding the net, as Fox Nambundunga in goal for Tigers showed his experience. Nambundunga kept his team in contention with good aerial saves.He is one of the few senior players left in the team, after the departure of most of his reliable teammates at the back this season.Now coached by Willem Kapukare, Tigers capitalised on the many mistakes of the opposition and opened their account in the first minutes when Tangeni Shipahu lobbed in the ball over Kongoro who raced towards him from his lines.Former Blue Waters left-back Getzen Ndjiharine equalised, before Celestine Wasserfall, who also played for the coastal side, made it 2-1 for Stars.The score line at halftime had the Stars supporters and players sensing victory, with mild celebrations going on among the crowd.That confidence was shattered when the second half resumed.The second half belonged to Tigers as they had more precise passes, with Leonard Stanley running well into gaps creating chances for his strikers, which eventually paid off when Dokkies Schmidt found the net through a header.Tigers scored the winner through the busy Stanley to silence and at the same time anger the Stars fans, who expected a big winning margin, considering the poor form in which Tigers were before the match.The win was the first for Tigers this season, a match which also saw the hard running Eliphas Heita working overtime in midfield.Tigers have lost top four players to Ramblers this season and will have no choice but to battle on with a host of youngsters for the rest of the season.Stars also have a relatively young side and will be required to stabilise their midfield and find a real predator who can hunt for goals.Hindjou is reliable, but needs midfielders who can assist strikers in scoring goals from the centre of the park, despite their trademark attacks from the wings.