By Carlos Kambaekwa
WINDHOEK
The first round of the 2007/2008 MTC NFA Cup competition produced plenty of action with a total of 81 goals scored in open play in just over 24 hours from 16 matches – a remarkable average of 5 goals per match.
In last night’s action, current MTC Namibia Premiership leaders Sport Klub Windhoek beat Chief Santos 4 – 2 in a tense penalty shootout after the two sides played out a 1-all stalemate in regulation time at the Mokati Stadium in Otjiwarongo. Santos led 1-Nil at the changeover.
Defending champions African Stars got their title defense off to a solid start after a goal apiece by striker Ley Mbahuma and inspirational midfielder Ninja Karongee put the Reds firmly in the driving seat against a stubborn Golden Bees. Stars led 2 -1 at the break.
Nico Andima seemed to be maturing like old wine after the veteran striker sent the Stars’ diehards into wild celebrations with a thunderous trademark free-kick midway through the second half to give the Reds a healthy 3 – 1 lead that eventually fused off any ambitions the Outjo-based team might have had in causing an upset.
Out of favour Brave Warriors’ striker Floris Diergaardt returned to action after a long layoff from competitive football to steer Civics into the next round of Namibia’s richest soccer tournament.
The lanky marksman rattled the net on no less than four occasions to take pole position in the goal scoring charts and stake a serious claim for the Golden Boot Award with 4 goals already in the kitty.
The Civilians easily disarmed Major Power in a contest that portrayed a situation of snatching candy from a toddler as Ricardo Mannetti’s charges powered past their hapless opponents like men possessed – defeating the lower division campaigners by 11 goals to Nil.
KM Eleven Arrows were just too strong for Newcastle United who appear to have developed a habit of copying their English namesake for their generosity in giving goals away at the slightest provocation.
Arrows waltzed passed the Copper Town lads without sweating an ounce of sweat – scoring 4 goals in the process without conceding any.
MTC Namibia Premiership strugglers APS Blue Waters recorded their first win of the season after seeing off lowly Vietnam Rangers by one goal to Nil and Orlando Pirates inflicted a 5-Nil hammering on an out-of-orts Onambula United.
In matches played on Saturday, Oshakati City’s veteran striker Cascas Angula shifted alongside a half dozen net rattlers eyeing the prestigious “Golden Boot” award by adding his name to the list of leading goal scorers after completion of Round One.
The dreadlocked goal-poacher found himself with 3 goals to his credit after City’s 5 – 1 hammering of Nexus Building Pubs while Neville Nanub scored on either side of play as Tigers returned the compliment to their fellow Premiership campaigners with an identical scoreline against Young Eleven.
Chelsea found the going a bit tough against Tough Guys as the country’s once glamour football club went down by a solitary goal. Black Hawks were too strong for Monitroni College – defeating the students by 3 goals without a reply and Eleven Brothers beat United Stars 3 – 1.
Rundu Chiefs could not sustain the might of Dawid Snewe’s Mighty Gunners as the men in uniform deservedly ran out 4-Nil winners to book themselves a place in the last 16.
Roberto Krohne’s hat trick propelled Fedics United to a 5 -1 runaway victory over a hapless Friends outfit at the J. Stephanus stadium in Keetmanshoop.
Hotspurs’ striker Edward Asino scored a brace which saw his team through to the last 16 after a 7-Nil mauling of Aranos Football Club in a one sided encounter.
Discarded Brave Warriors’ defender Jeremiah “Bullfrog” Baisako dusted himself off and put behind him the disappointment of missing out on Namibia’s fairytale journey at the recently concluded 26th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations finals in Ghana.
The strong running defender showed his goal-shy teammates how it is done by netting twice in Ramblers’ 6 -2 win over Deportivo Alaves.
Baisako was dispatched from the West African country and put on the earliest flight back home without chasing leather following an undisclosed physical dysfunction that ostensibly rendered him unfit to have any further business with the Warriors’ entourage in Ghana.
As widely expected, the derby between Black Africa and their unofficial feeder team Young Beauties did not disappoint and produced goals galore with Beauties’ hotshot striker Brian Dausab scoring a memorable hat-trick despite his team going down 6 – 3 against the rampant Katutura-based side. The Black and Red stripped outfit’s livewire midfielder Dacosta Angula crowned a good performance with a double strike on the night.