Khomas Nampol win Preseason Tournament

Recently-promoted Khomas Nampol sounded a warning to their Debmarine Premiership rivals when they won a pre-season football tournament at Windhoek’s Independence Stadium on Saturday. 

Four other premiership teams and a visiting team from Botswana competed in the tournament that was contested in two groups of three, with Khomas Nampol and Ongos Football Club, previously known as Tura Magic, progressing to the final after topping their respective groups.

Nothing much separated the teams in the final, with Itamunua Keimuine giving Khomas Nampol a first half lead when he volleyed home a cross into the box, before Ben Namib equalised midway through the second half after a fine attack by Rivaldo Prins.  

Khomas Nampol came close to winning it in normal time when Diogenus Indeimo’s shot hit the crossbar, but the match had to be settled via penalties, where Ongos’ keeper  Ratanda Mbazuvara turned from hero to villain. He first pulled off two saves to keep Ongos’ hopes alive, but then blasted his shot over the bar to hand Khomas Nampol a 4-3 penalty shootout victory. 

Earlier Khomas Nampol and Ongos FC won both their group matches to progress to the final.

In their opening match, Khomas Nampol beat Unam 1-0 through a goal by Erich Tsam, while they beat Young African by the same score after a goal by Xaun Goseb. 

In the other Group A encounter, Unam and Young African played to a goalless draw. 

Ongos FC topped Group B after winning both their matches. They beat Orlando Pirates 2-1 in their opening match, through goals by Itamunua Keimuine and Kawe Mupurua, while Sadney Urikhob replied for Pirates. 

In their second match, Ongos beat the visiting team from Botswana, Matebele FC 1-0 through a goal by Hoveka Ikuaterua.

Matebele FC, which is now coached by experienced Namibian coach Woody Jacobs, also drew 0-0 against Pirates in their final match. 

Khomas Nampol coach Fortune Eichab said it was a great start, but there was still a long way to go. 

“It’s a wonderful feeling to win the preseason tournament, but we are still putting the small pieces of a big puzzle into place and there’s still a long way to go. It’s going to be difficult to compete in the premiership, but I am heartened by the fact that we only conceded one goal, because we are aiming to keep it tight at the back,” he said.