By Carlos Kambaekwa
WINDHOEK
The gloves are off as old foes Sport Klub Windhoek and Ramblers take their decades of rivalry to another level with both teams looking at cementing a place in the final of the lucrative FNB Cup on the 1st of next month.
While the bulk of playing personnel has changed considerably from the customary German and English speaking folk, let alone the slight change of identity from their traditional green and white to the more colourful black and orange, SKW have lost none of their nostalgia whenever the name “Ramblers” is mentioned.
The two giants are to lock horns in the second semi-final of the FNB Knockout Cup at Windhoek’s Independence stadium tomorrow afternoon (18h00), while the other semi-final sees former champions and local Cup Kings Black Africa squaring up against Eleven Arrows in the curtain-raiser (16h00).
SKW have built up a cup pedigree second to none since returning to top-flight football and the star-studded Ramblers outfit will be well advised to underestimate the Germans at their own peril.
The Germans claimed the scalps of last year’s runners-up African Stars en route to the sem-final after a comprehensive win over Oshakati City in the opening round, and victory over their nemesis will propel them to their third major final in as many years after losing to Orlando Pirates in the country’s richest tournament, the MTC NFA Cup, just over a year ago.
Ramblers will be going into the match minus towering defender and skipper Michael Pienaar, and the highly talented but sometimes wasteful striker Pineas Jacobs. The pair is away on national duty with the Brave Warriors for the international friendly against Tunisia in Tunis this weekend.
In recent years, Rammies have assembled probably the best and most balanced squad in domestic football – but the Tunchel Street boys are struggling to adjust their Trophy Cabinet and only have the Tafel Lager NFA Pokal to boast about which they last won in the 2004/2005 season.
In the first semi-final, Eleven Arrows will be hoping lady luck will be smiling on the coastal outfit this time around following last weekend’s shock defeat against league rookies Fedics United, when they confront Black Africa in their own backyard.
Black Africa might lack depth in the playing department but in Smithley Engelbrecht, the Katutura giants have one of the most underrated but shrewd coaches in modern football and the team’s position on the Namibia Premiership log standings crystallizes just how far he has developed as a young coach.
Chacklas has transformed Africa into a meaningful side and the return of promising goalkeeper Arnold Subeb to competitive action has certainly stabilized and instilled confidence in the team’s shaky defence.
The former Chief Santos and Brave Warriors net minder was almost lost to football after a career-threatening knee injury which kept him out of the game for almost two seasons, but the acrobatic goalkeeper made a dramatic recovery and resurfaced at Africa at the beginning of the season with some breath-taking performances between the sticks.
Lucky Shipanga’s charges are a bit thin upfront with talismanic captain Rudolph Bester a notable absentee as he is on national duty with the Warriors, leaving Robson Haitamba and Veno Namholo with the mammoth task of unlocking that oak door of Africa’s defence manned by veteran defender Muree Katjiteo and the exciting Njemba Mundjanima.
Haitamba is a proven goal scorer and if 100% fit and allowed enough room to manoeuvre, the lanky striker possesses that special ability to win matches on his own.
However, the visitors will have to be wary of the danger posed by Africa’s livewire striker Jerome Louis, who has proven a thorn in the flesh of many defenders with his darting runs down the left wing.
The final will be played at the same venue on the first of next month with the winner taking home a staggering amount of N$170 000, and the runner-up smiling all the way to the bank with a consolation prize of N$70 000, while the losing semi-finalists are already guaranteed N$20 000 each.