Cuca Tops return to top flight 

Cuca Tops ensured that Rundu will have two clubs in the Namibia Premier Football League after dispatching Omuthiya United 5-2 in a packed Rundu Sports Stadium on Sunday.

They join Rundu rivals Julinho Sporting in the top tier league, with Tops chairperson Herculano Mwenyo delighted with the club’s achievement.

“It’s an understatement to say that I’m over excited. It has not been easy, this plan has been on from some years back. Now that we have achieved it, we are going to make sure that we go there and compete,” Mwenyo says.

With news of fellow contender Oshikango Chiefs dropping points to Ntunguru filtering in, Cuca Tops took the lead late in the first half through winger Ngeve Kufumana.

In the second half, Cuca Tops were given a scare as Omuthiya United equalised, and minutes later took a 2-1 lead.

The home fans’ anxiety was palpable as Tops pushed to even the score and keep their premier league ambitions alive.

Dumingu Isack stepped up around the hour mark when he found the equaliser, and moments later Domingo Makai made it 3-2 as Tops took control of proceedings.

The home crowd bayed for more and Kufumana duly obliged, scoring his second to make it 4-2 before striker Shamwaka Reinhard added the fifth later on.

Winning coach Gundolf Mukoya says he was confident they would get the job done, even after falling behind.

He thanked the club’s supporters for cheering them on every step of the way.

“I knew we will win the game, the players just had to calm down and play their normal game,” he says.

Reinforcements are inevitable if they are to compete at the top level, something Mukoya has been planning for.

“The squad will be boosted, but for now we want to rest. The season was very long, and we had different teams going on top of the log. So for now, we just have to take a rest,” he says.

Mwenyo says gaining promotion is part of a bigger project to elevate the club’s status.

“We have proper plans in place. We are going to work hard on increasing our membership. As of now we are already working on getting people to have paid membership status,” says Mwenyo.