Maqonda Ndlovu
Tura Magic Ladies Football Club were crowned as the 2022/23 Women’s Super League champions on Saturday after the final match of the season following an 18-1 victory over Rightway Phoenixes at the NFA Technical Centre.
With the league already won last week, Phoenixes gave Magic a guard of honour at the beginning of the match as respect for the three-time defending champions, who are set to compete under a new name in the 2023/24 season.
Magic, who have been phenomenal throughout the season, did not remove the gas from the pedal as they scored 11 first-half goals before adding seven more in a one-sided match.
The game was so lop-sided that Tura Magic goalkeeper Chantel Basson made only five touches of the ball throughout the entire 90 minutes.
Anna-Marie Shikusho and Memory Ngonda scored half a dozen each, with Emma Naris and Juliana Blou each contributing a double.
Ivone Kooper scored one, with Phoenixes’ Gilermina Edwardo scoring an own goal.
Karina Nakangombe scored the consolation goal for Phoenixes.
The final whistle sparked wild celebrations
from the Magic players and fans, with the Normalisation Committee’s chairperson Bisey Uirab present to hand over the trophy and medals to the winners.
Girls & Goals were also awarded medals for
their second-place finish, while third-placed Beauties boycotted the medal ceremony for unknown reasons.
Efforts to get comment from Beauties’ owner Salome Iyambo proved fruitless as her mobile
went unanswered at the time of going to press.
However, information at hand suggests that Beauties were unhappy with the NFA for dismissing Okahandja FC’s appeal against Girls & Goals, who are said to have used a suspended player in one of their games.
Okahandja’s appeal was turned down through a disciplinary hearing last week.
Acting secretary general Jochen Traut confirmed that indeed an appeal was launched by Okahandja, and that it did not go their way.
Had Okahandja won the appeal, Beauties would have then finished second.
“That’s typical in football. If things do not go your way, you will be unhappy. From my understanding, Beauties played in Okahandja earlier on the day (Saturday), which is why they couldn’t make it to the awards ceremony. I am not aware that they were doing it deliberately,” Traut told New Era Sport on Sunday.
However, Beauties did arrive at the NFA Technical Centre, and NFA Marketing and Communications Manager Cassius Moeti approached them to hand over the medals.
His attempt was rejected by the team.
Traut further said that he was happy with the turn of events on Saturday.
On the other hand, Beauties are said to have held their celebrations in Okahandja, which delayed their arrival in Windhoek.
Moeti said he is not at liberty to comment on the issue, and referred New Era Sport to the acting SG.