By Carlos Kambaekwa
WINDHOEK – Brave Warriors lethal goal poacher Jerome Louis’s inevitable transfer to Township Rollers at the beginning of last season denied him a lifetime opportunity to pit his skills against continental powerhouse Kaizer Chiefs.
However, ‘The Crocodile’ as the former Black Africa target man is affectionately known amongst his ardent followers back home, did not have to wait too long to realise his boyhood dream when he trotted on the field at the giant FNB Soccer City stadium in Johannesburg on Saturday evening.
The Namibian net rattler was in the starting lineup of Rollers and played 75 minutes before he made way for former Bidvest Wits University and Mamelodi Sundowns skillful winger Manqoba ‘Shakes’ Ngwenya late in the 2nd half of the Gaborone outfit’s first leg match against the Soweto giants.
Although ‘Mapalistina’, as the club is popularly known amongst its followers, suffered a narrow 2-1 defeat through a last gasp header by Chiefs’ towering defender Tefu Mashamaite, Gunners can take solace from their vital away goal when they host Chiefs in the decisive 2nd leg in Gaborone, Botswana in a fortnight.
In other action on South African soil, four Namibians were in action for their respective clubs in the lucrative Professional Soccer League (PSL). Stigga Ketjijere played the full 90 minutes for his club University of Pretoria’s (Amatuks) 1-all stalemate against Ballack Somaeb’s Free State Stars.
The deadly Namibian who netted in his Absa PSL debut in mid-week for Ea Lla Koto’s clash against SuperSport United entered the fray from the substitute’s bench in the 54th minute but there was no place for his compatriots Da Costa Angula and Rudolf Bester.
Discarded Brave Warriors shot-stopper Virgil Vries appears to have turned a new lease of life since the start of the current PSL term.
The rejuvenated dreadlocked sticks guard put in another impressive display as he played a blinder between the sticks in his club Martitzburg United’s 1-all draw against the stubborn Chippa United.Dudes Mwedihanga failed to reappear after halftime in Amazulu’s 3-0 hammering at the hands of Blomfontein Clectic yesterday.