Unam ready to take on Life Fighters

KHOMAS Second Division League champions, Pupkewitz Unam, are not intimidated by their Premier League opponents, Life Fighters, in an NFA Cup quarter final match scheduled for Otjiwarongo on Sunday.

Unam, who will be playing in the quarter finals of the most sought-after competition for the first time, are fresh from clinching the league title in emphatic style. Unam ended the league nine points clear of second-placed Eleven Stars.The team only lost twice out of the 24 encounters.Unam coach Willem Kapukare told The Namibian Sport yesterday that his team will treat Life Fighters just like any other opponent, despite their premier league status.”I am not someone who talks a lot before a match.We just do the job on the field and then talk after the match.We are not fearing Life Fighters.All I can say now is that our team is on the right track with the preparations and we expected a good outcome in our favour,” he said.Life Fighters Chairman Percy Tjaverua said there was no way that his team would lose to Unam.”We are going to win, there are no two ways about it.We want to go and play the big guns in the semi-finals.This is just a warm-up match (against Unam) for us,” he said.Tjaverua said his team had an additional home advantage, his best players are all fit and “a win will not be the question, but how many goals Unam will concede”.Kapukare said he did not want to put pressure on his players by saying a lot ahead of the match, but instead wants them to concentrate on their training and take the match as it comes.The bulk of the players in the team are students at the University of Namibia, and some have been playing for the side since it was formed in 1992.During the 2002/3 season, the side landed the second spot in the second division when Kapukare took over, and since never looked back.In their first attempt of the NFA Cup, Unam was eliminated in the preliminary rounds by Black Africa through a penalty shoot-out, after a one all draw at the Legare Stadium in Gobabis.Kapukare said the team has some top quality players who have contributed to the success of the outfit.”I am happy with the commitment and the cooperation the players have shown so far,” he said.Key players who have served Unam well are Evaristus Evaristus, who plays an important role on the right flank, while the prolific Charlton “Chester” Gawaseb, has kept his side in the driving seat with his goals in almost each match.Gawaseb ended as the top goalscorer in the league with a tally of 39 goals.Another player is the team’s libero, Action Sheya, who will be key in keeping it tight at the back against Life Fighters, while a lot is also expected from midfielder Fish English and the team’s goalkeeper, Lucas Ashiti.Life Fighters are currently placed in the 11th spot on the log, with only seven wins from their 25 matches, losing 13, with five draws.In other quarter final matches, Tigers will take on Benfica on Saturday, while a thriller is expected between Chief Santos and Orlando Pirates on Sunday.Ramblers will go head to head against Black Africa, also on Saturday.The winners of the NFA Cup will receive N$122 540, while the runners-up will pocket N$61 270.Third place finishers will go home with N$24 508, while the fourth-placed team gets N$12 254Unam ended the league nine points clear of second-placed Eleven Stars.The team only lost twice out of the 24 encounters.Unam coach Willem Kapukare told The Namibian Sport yesterday that his team will treat Life Fighters just like any other opponent, despite their premier league status.”I am not someone who talks a lot before a match.We just do the job on the field and then talk after the match.We are not fearing Life Fighters.All I can say now is that our team is on the right track with the preparations and we expected a good outcome in our favour,” he said.Life Fighters Chairman Percy Tjaverua said there was no way that his team would lose to Unam.”We are going to win, there are no two ways about it.We want to go and play the big guns in the semi-finals.This is just a warm-up match (against Unam) for us,” he said.Tjaverua said his team had an additional home advantage, his best players are all fit and “a win will not be the question, but how many goals Unam will concede”.Kapukare said he did not want to put pressure on his players by saying a lot ahead of the match, but instead wants them to concentrate on their training and take the match as it comes.The bulk of the players in the team are students at the University of Namibia, and some have been playing for the side since it was formed in 1992.During the 2002/3 season, the side landed the second spot in the second division when Kapukare took over, and since never looked back.In their first attempt of the NFA Cup, Unam was eliminated in the preliminary rounds by Black Africa through a penalty shoot-out, after a one all draw at the Legare Stadium in Gobabis.Kapukare said the team has some top quality players who have contributed to the success of the outfit.”I am happy with the commitment and the cooperation the players have shown so far,” he said.Key players who have served Unam well are Evaristus Evaristus, who plays an important role on the right flank, while the prolific Charlton “Chester” Gawaseb, has kept his side in the driving seat with his goals in almost each match.Gawaseb ended as the top goalscorer in the league with a tally of 39 goals.Another player is the team’s libero, Action Sheya, who will be key in keeping it tight at the back against Life Fighters, while a lot is also expected from midfielder Fish English and the team’s goalkeeper, Lucas Ashiti.Life Fighters are currently placed in the 11th spot on the log, with only seven wins from their 25 matches, losing 13, with five draws.In other quarter final matches, Tigers will take on Benfica on Saturday, while a thriller is expected between Chief Santos and Orlando Pirates on Sunday.Ramblers will go head to head against Black Africa, also on Saturday.The winners of the NFA Cup will receive N$122 540, while the runners-up will pocket N$61 270.Third place finishers will go home with N$24 508, while the fourth-placed team gets N$12 254