By Carlos Kambaekwa
WINDHOEK – The Namibian foreign legion plying their trade in the stinking rich South African Professional Soccer League (PSL) are enjoying mixed fortunes with their respective clubs in that neck of the woods.
Resurgent acrobatic shot-stopper Virgil Vries and reliable Brave Warriors defender Dudes Mwedihanga found themselves on opposing ends in a recent coastal derby when their respective clubs Martizburg United and Amazulu faced each other in a penultimate PSL clash.
The match finished in a 1-all stalemate with both Namibians being heavily involved during the entire 90-minutes of the grueling match. Vries was only beaten from the penalty spot in the dying minutes of an otherwise entertaining PSL clash.
The result left the struggling Durban outfit stuck at the bottom of the 16-team league log standings – staring relegation in the face.
Former African Stars midfield anchorman and incumbent Brave Warriors inspirational skipper Stigga Ketjijere played the entire 90-minutes in his team University of Pretoria’s 1-1 draw against high-flying Mamelodi Sundowns on Saturday.
Despite having made a good recovery from his long term leg injury, much adored overlapping fullback Larry Horaeb, is yet to make his much anticipated impact and has barely featured for his struggling coastal outfit Amazulu this term.
With veteran striker Rudolf Bester still on the sidelines through a niggling injury, burly defender Dacosta Angula did not make the starting lineup in his team Free State Stars 2-all drawn match against Witbank Black Aces.
And while veteran striker Henrico Botes, has been enjoying quite a significant amount of game time as a bit part player at his new club Bidvest Wits University, the same cannot be said about his compatriot Heini Isaacks.
Following his move from Maritzburg United at the beginning of the current term, the goatee-bearded midfielder has been left to kick his heels in frustration as he constantly fails to carve himself a place in coach Ernst Middendorf’s starting lineup at struggling Bloemfontein Celtic.
Other Namibian footballers doing extremely well in the competitive South African professional soccer league are former African Stars members at 2nd tier division campaigners Golden Arrows.
The quartet of Freedom Puriza, Chris Katjiukua, Max “Slimkat” Mbaeva and Deon Hotto have all fitted in like a glove in hand at another coastal side, steering the ambitious Durban side to the summit of the log standings.