By Carlos Kambaekwa
Ramblers leapfrogged Civics into first place on the MTC Namibia Premiership log on goal average following a 2-all draw against Orlando Pirates at Windhoek’s Independence stadium last night.
The Tunchel Street boys made three changes to their line-up that did duty against SKW in the semi-final of the FNB Knockout Cup last weekend, with skipper Michael Pienaar, Pineas Jacobs and Dylan Mieze all coming in at the expense of Erastus Ndjavera, Danny Chilufwya and Gerry Keister.
Ramblers took the lead in the 15th minute when striker Pineas Jacobs side-footed a well-calculated cross from Dicky Akwenye with the Pirates defence all at sea.
The goal spurred on the Buccaneers and Saul Coetzee tested Lucas Hashiti in Ramblers’ goal with a cracker, but the young net minder was equal to the task.
Pirates’ Zambian import Chipela Chipela also tried his luck with pot shots but found Hashiti in an uncompromising mood.
Jeremiah Baisako floated a dangerous free kick into the Buccaneers’ danger zone and the ever alert John Samson punished the ball-watching Pirates rearguard when he volleyed home from close range to make it 2-nil for the Pionierspark-based outfit on the half-hour mark.
The Ghosts looked dead and buried but winger Donny Isaacs had other ideas and threw his dejected team mates a lifeline when his innocent-looking cross was turned into the net by Ramblers defender Luther Kanalelo in the 35th minute.
Coetzee wasted a golden opportunity to draw the teams level after he dispossessed Michael Pienaar, but the occasion took the better of him and his mistimed shot almost hit the corner flag with the goal at his mercy.
Shortly afterwards, Akwenye almost stretched his team’s slender lead but his well-struck free kick flew inches over the crossbar with Athiel Mbaha clutching thin air.
Ramblers started to lose their grip on the match and resorted to some dirty play and midfielder Hans Witbooi became the first recipient of the referee’s yellow card after a late tackle on Klaas Blom. His captain Michael Pienaar also made inroads into the match official’s crime sheet for dissent after demonstrating with the man.
With time ticking by and halftime approaching, Isaacs still had some unfinished business as the former Civics man picked up a loose ball on the edge of the penalty box following some sloppy marking by the flatfooted Ramblers defence, and before any of his team mates could shout Donny …… the ball kissed the roof of the net left as the former Civics man let fly with a scorcher which left Hashiti sprawling on the turf on the stroke of halftime.
The second half started at a frantic pace with Pirates taking the game to their opponents and the cracks started showing when defender and captain Michael Pienaar received his marching orders 20 minutes into the second half for a second bookable offence after a dangerous tackle on Frans de Muinda.
The Ramblers bench responded swiftly and sacrificed veteran midfielder Raymond Lollipop Awaseb with defender Gerry Keister to stabilize their defence.
Soon afterwards, Isaacs turned from hero to villain when he wasted a gilt-edge chance to put his team ahead for the first time in the match. Isaacs shot tamely after some confusion in the Ramblers rearguard left him one on one with Hashiti.
Pirates’ stand-in coach Ismael Lemmy Narib brought in Rudi Gazza Louw in place of the ineffective Saul Coetzee and the pint-sized midfielder almost repaid the coach with two well-taken free kicks, which went fractionally wide.
The Ghosts failed to capitalise on their numerical advantage and almost paid dearly when Jacobs ballooned a sitter in front of an open goal after some good work by Akwenye on the left wing.
The result lifted Ramblers into first place with 10 points, the same number as Civics but the Civilians could return to the summit if they triumph against Tigers in tomorrow’s match.