African Stars moved three points clear at the top of the log after a consummate 3-1 victory against Khomas Nampol, while Young Brazilians had a great weekend on the road, collecting maximum points against Julinho and Okakarara Young Warriors.
On Friday, the defending champions Stars, hosted the new pretenders to the throne, Khomas Nampol, and put them firmly in their place with a commanding victory.
In a pulsating match, Willy Stephanus and Ibroihim Youssouff tested Nampol’s defence with their speed early on, while a Charles Hambira headed goal was disallowed for offside.
At the other end, a long range shot by Bolly Tjitemisa skimmed the crossbar, but Stars took the lead when Youssouff blasted home a cutback by Stephanus in the box on 26 minutes.
Khomas Nampol immediately struck back and Absalom Iimbondi equalised barely two minutes later when he volleyed home a cross by Rewaldo Prins.
Stars came pouring forward, with Uetuuru Kambato and Stephanus both coming close, while a long-range cracker by Ndjiraeree Maharero thudded off the goalpost.
Stars’ pressure finally told when a Kambato shot was parried away, but Stephanus followed up to send a cross into the box that Youssouf put into the net with a swooping header.
Khomas Nampol tried to regain the initiative after the break, with Terdius Uiseb and Iimbondi launching some attacks, while Revered Matroos distributed well in the middle of the park, but they seldom troubled Stars’ defence, and Kambato put the issue beyond doubt when he outsprinted Nampol’s defence to score with a cracking shot with 15 minutes to go.
Stars held on for the win which now puts them on top of the log on 32 points, followed by FC Ongos on 29, while Nampol are third on 28 points.
Stars captain Ronald Ketjijere said it was a tough game.
“They were very competitive, sitting very deep in their own half, but we tried our best to take the chances we created, and I think that was the difference tonight. We didn’t play that well, we couldn’t combine a lot of passes because their gameplan was to pressurise us and now allow us on the ball, but we capitalised on the chances that we created, especially from the wingers. There were some good headers from Juja (Ibroihim Youssouff) there, so it was a very tough game for us, but our intentions are clear that we want to win the league,” he said.
Khomas Nampol coach Fortune Eichab said they didn’t take their chances.
“What a game – it was a wonderful game. We tried to play our normal game but we didnt take our chances and in football if you dont take chances, this is going to happen,” he said.
“Stars played well, they defended well and closed the spaces behind us well, so they defended as a team and we could not penetrate their defence, because our players were in the wrong positions,” he added.
Young Brazilians, meanwhile, responded in great style to their recent 10-0 drubbing by African Stars with two victories on the road.
On Saturday they beat Julinho Sporting 2-0 at Rundu, and the next day beat Okakarara Young Warriors 2-1 at Grootfontein to collect six valuable points, which sees them moving six places up the log to sixth position on 19 points.
Julinho and Okakarara Young Warriors, meanwhile, are both just above the relegation zone, with Julinho 12th on 14 points and Okakarara Young Warriors 13th on 12 points. The three teams in the drop zone at the moment are Civics on 12 points, Life Fighters on eight, and Orlando Pirates at the bottom of the log on five points.
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