2018-02-06Staff Report 2 Kefas Shipi Elago Oshakati-Stuggling MTC Premiership outfit Young Chiefs FC’s life in the country’s topflight football league is hanging after the Notherners failed to collect maximum points in their oustanding league fixture against visitors Rundu Chiefs at Oshakati Stadium, on Sunday. Local supporters came en masse to support their favourite team in battle to avoid the dreaded relegation axe that has been hovering over the ‘Amathekie’, as Young Chiefs are affectionately known. The hosts started the match like a house on fire – much to the delight of the home crowd – only for the visiting team to regain momentum firing from all cylinders in the opening half in search of the early goal. But the hosts’ agile shot-stopper was in an uncompromising mood. However, Young Chiefs regained their composure midway through the opening half as they strung together a couple of good passes, but the boys from Rundu were hard to break – leaving the scoreboard blank (0-0) going into the changeover. The hosts came out strongly after the resumption but Rundu Chiefs held firm with their tactically sound defensive work. However Young Chiefs’ new man Kaniseb Ruan shifted from the wing attack position into a more advanced number nine position. The tactical move almost yielded dividends causing panic in the visitors’ backline which saw Young Chiefs breaking the deadlock in the 65th minute via former Onambula United goalgetter, Ruan. The goal sent the crowd into a frenzy. The visitors, heading towards their first defeat of the year were brought back to life when gifted a goal by a schoolboy error through the Young Chiefs’ defence in stoppage time. The end result, 1-1, left the home fans bitterly disappointed having expected their team to collect its first three points at home. Young Chiefs’ poor form could come back to haunt them and the team needs to dig deep to avoid relegation from the MTC Premiership this season. In the meantime, New Era Sports understands that Young Chiefs head coach Alex Itumba and his assistant Cascas Angula’s hands were cut off as they were reduced to being bystanders in the selection of the squad. Team manager Hafeni Shikulo said a resolution was taken at the team’s previous meeting to install both the chairman and manager as interim joint coaches. “Yes, I understand our coaches might be unhappy but we are trying all these things in the best interest of the club because the team has been hopelessly underperforming since the beginning of the current term obliging divine intervention,” insisted a defiant Shikulo. Their opponents Rundu Chiefs also saw the unceremonious departure of long serving club chairman John Sikerete, who tendered his resignation last month. In the meantime, former United Stars FC mentor and incumbent national under -20 assistant coach, Shakes Malembu, has been roped in to steer the sinking ship out of troubled waters. In the weekend’s other action, MTC Premiership returnees Chiefs Santos and Rundu Chiefs cancelled each other out in a dull goalless stalemate in Tsumeb, on Saturday. 2018-02-06Staff Report 2
