Carlos Kambaekwa
3 May 2011
Windhoek — Black Africa dethroned African Stars as MTC Premiership champions when the Gemengde-based outfit came from a goal behind to beat traditional rivals FNB Orlando Pirates 2-1 in an electrifying title decider at the Sam Nujoma Stadium on Saturday.
Buoyed by an enthusiastic crowd that contributed to a carnival atmosphere at the half-packed Sam Nujoma Stadium – both teams showed their intentions very clearly as early as the opening half but with the Ghosts looking the hungrier.
The Buccaneers fielded a more attack-minded line-up with the pocket-sized pair of Riaan Cloete and Klaas Blom deployed behind twin strikers Engelhard Kahua and Ronaldo Tsowaseb in a prolonged four-man attack.
The hosts’ bench displayed more tactical acumen than the seemingly clueless Pirates technical staff that dismally failed to come up with a Plan B when their opponents changed tactics in the second half.
The late introduction of Kumbee “Adebayor” Katjiteo proved to be the decisive factor in an otherwise see-saw encounter.
The beanpole youngster tormented the fragile Pirates’ rearguard and had them at sixes and sevens whenever he was in possession of the ball.
He was involved in the build-up to Africa’s two late strikes and could have easily been man of the match had greed not taken the better of him when he resolved to go for glory after a quick counter-attack when a simple layoff to a better placed team mate could have been the ideal option.
Former Chief Santos and SKW defender Warren Neidel scored the equalizer after a goalmouth melee but the Ghosts immediately responded in the most emphatic fashion when Blom got to the end of Kamesiepo’s cross and bundled the ball home – only for the goal to be disallowed by the referee.
Pirates were the first to draw blood when Denzil Haoseb was harshly adjudged to have had handled the ball in the penalty box.
Up stepped prodigal son Johannes Seibeb who sent Arnold Subeb the wrong way to give the Ghosts’ a slender 1-goal cushion going into the halftime break.
Just when it appeared Africa would be putting the champagne on ice at least for the time being, up popped Asprila Wermann to drive a low shot past the stranded Helmuth Maletzy in Pirates’ goal – 2-1 – to send the red and black clad BA supporters into raptures.
Elsewhere, African Stars’ slim hopes of salvaging some lost pride suffered another blow when the Reds were handed a 1-Nil defeat by hoodoo team Ramblers at the Sam Nujoma Stadium on Friday.
Rammies striker Benson Shilongo netted the only goal of the match in the first half.
The poorly-attended match ended on a sour note when Stars’ burly defender Ricardo Tjiuoro went over the top to connect with Dylan Mieze’s outstretched leg. The veteran Ramblers defender came off second best and was left with a fractured leg but his assassin was only given a mere slap on the wrist in the form of a caution by the referee instead of a straight red card.
With two rounds of matches remaining before the curtain closes on the current term, more than half a dozen MTC Premiership campaigners are hovering dangerously above the relegation zone. Relegation threatened PC Blue Boys eased their relegation worries with a hard fought 3-2 win over Eleven Arrows at the Kuisebmond Stadium in Walvis Bay last Thursday.
Basement dwellers FNB Oshakati City easily saw off LHU Blue Waters 3-1 at the Uukwangula Stadium in Embadi, while fellow strugglers Mighty Gunners beat Sport Klub Windhoek (SKW) 4-2 in a 6-goal thriller at the Mokati Stadium in Otjiwarongo on Saturday. Former multiple champions Civics are seriously starring relegation in the face after a 3-0 loss against Wesbank Tigers in a mid-week clash.
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