Stefanus Nambara
NKURENKURU – Kulisuka Palace Football Club have shocked the football fraternity in Kavango West region as they were crowned champions for the 2023/24 Kavango West Second Division football league in their first appearance.
Elevated from the Mpungu constituency’s Third Division, Kulisuka Palace has exceeded expectations with their resilience and consistency in the league, denting hopes of rivals to be champions.
Kulisuka won the league with a game to spare after beating Kahenge Chelsea FC on 27 July, and have only suffered one defeat at the hands of Mayenzere United FC.
During the league’s award ceremony on Saturday, Kulisuka’s coach said it was not a walk in the park to their success, especially coming straight from the Third Division to be crowned champions of the region’s top-tier league.
“In the Second Division, we met with experienced teams. So we had to prepare well, and encouraged the players to be strong. This made us champions of the Second Division league,” said coach John Kasera.
As the team looks to become an outfit in the north-east First Division, there is one more hurdle left standing in their way; the play-offs.
“We must train a lot, and improve on our team spirit and prowess for us to win at the play-offs if we want to join the First Division (north-east). We don’t want to come back and play in the Second Division again,” said Kasera.
Meanwhile, the team’s captain, Andreas Kasinga, said their goal has always been to go forward and will continue doing that, therefore, will fight their best at the play-offs.
The chairman of the region’s football league Ferdinand Hausiku congratulated the champions, and encouraged them to re-energise their efforts for the play-offs, as expectations are for them to be promoted to the First Division.
Should the team be promoted to the First Division league, there will be two teams from the region in that league, which will include KK United FC.
This football season will certainly be written in the team’s history books, as they were also crowned champions for the 2024 Nkurenkuru Mayoral Cup last month.
As the league’s champions, the team walked away with an amount of N$32 000, while second-placed Young Western Fighters FC bagged N$20 000 and third-placed KK United FC received N$15 000. *Stefanus Nambara is an information officer at MICT Kavango West.