WINDHOEK – MTC Premiership new boys Young Brazilians caused the biggest shock in the opening round of the long awaited kick off to the national topflight football league played countrywide last weekend.
Making their bow in the country’s flagship football league, the league rookies stunned the visiting Blue Waters by a solitary goal in Karasburg, on Saturday, with China Windstaan, netting the winner from the penalty spot to send to appreciative crowd into wild celebrations.
Action got underway under floodlights at the Sam Nujoma stadium Friday evening when Katutura outfit Tura Magic locked horns with troubled Orlando Pirates in the opening match of the 2018/2019 MTC Premiership campaign.
The youthful Magicians easily waltzed past the tame Ghosts – scoring 3 goals in reply to 1 to fashion a well-deserved victory. New recruit, Solly Omseb opened the floodgates for the Magicians in the first half, beating the Buccaneers goalie Donovan Gaimub, hands down.
The Magicians took the momentum playing their traditional one touch football – leaving Pirates to chase shadows for the better part of the encounter. Omseb was not done yet as he registered his name on the score sheet again to complete his brace after the resumption.
The free scoring striker connected brilliantly with prodigal son Larry Horaeb’s well executed delivery powering an unstoppable header into the roof of the net to all but end the contest (2-0). However, the Ghosts pulled a consolation goal back in minute 76th via the penalty spot after Jay-Jay Kordom, was roughed up - leaving multiple award-winning referee Jackson Pavaza with no choice but pointing to the spot.
Veteran winger Meraai Swartbooi, dully obliged by neatly dispatching the resultant spot kick in the net to reduce the deficit (2-1).
Nevertheless, the joy was to be short lived as Kae Katjimune restored the Magicians’ 2 goal cushion in the dying minutes of the match with goal number three to give new Ghanaian mentor Mohammed Cargo a much welcomed winning start.
Elsewhere, having traveled a grueling marathon journey of more than one thousand kilometres by road to reach their destination, Blue Waters were clearly out of steam and unable to cope with the searing heat in their match against hosts Young Brazilians in Karasburg.
The hosts took advantage of the situation to manufacture a historic narrow win after former Black Africa midfield general Brian Bantam was upended in the penalty box. Up stepped Windstaan to coolly slot the ball home from the spot kick (1-0).
In other action, league returnees Julinho Sporting FC found themselves on the wrong end of the stick – going down 1-0 to visiting Black Africa at the Rundu sport field with Lucky Heita registering his name on the scoreboard to give the visitors a hard fought victory.
New entrants Okahandja United and Tigers cancelled each other out in a 1-all stalemate at the Okahandja stadium in Nau-Aib while Civics and Eleven Arrows’ match also ended in a draw with an identical score line (1-1).
Ingwe missed an ideal opportunity to collect maximum points when the usually clinical Abes Iimbondi had a second half penalty saved by the goalkeeper before the hosts equalised from a highly contested scrambled goal to share the spoils. Lethal target man Mapenzi Muwanei had put the visitors ahead in the first half.
Midfielder Deon Kiwiet scored for the Mighty Civilians while under-23 International Anthony Kham replied for the seasiders.
Mighty Gunners continued from where they left off last term. The fired up men in camouflaged uniforms saw off a stubborn UNAM 1-0 in a double header at the Sam Nujoma stadium, on Saturday.
In yersterday's match Zimbabwean import Chrispin Mbewe, netted the only goal of the match to kick start reigning champions African Stars' title defense in great fashion. The Reds defeated a stubborn Life Fighters 1-0 at the Sam Nujoma stadium