2015-04-24Staff Report 2 History awaits troubl e d K a t u t u r a glamour football club African Stars as they gun for a recordextending win in the annual NFA Knockout Cup. The Reds confront eternal rivals FNB Orlando Pirates in the semifinal of the prestigious Bidvest Cup in the second of a double header at the Sam Nujoma Stadium tomorrow. The only team to have won a double in one single season after claiming both the coveted MTC Premiership title and the now defunct NFA leo Cup in the 2009/2010 campaign under the stewardship of Bobby Samaria, the Reds will be looking to repeat that feat but coach Woody Jacobs is very much aware of the danger posed by their opponents in tomorrow’s clash of the titans. “The mere fact that Pirates are not fighting at any other front after falling out of the race for the league title makes them very dangerous opponents. We are very much focused on this match and want to win for our fans and in the process rewrite the history books by becoming the only team to claim a double twice.” With the coveted league title almost in the bag – Jacobs declared war saying he will field his best possible line-up, adding that he has a full staff complement. He welcomes back from injury overlapping fullback Dennis ‘Law’ Tjetjinda, while newly signed diminutive midfielder Klaas Blom is also available for selection. The latter joined Stars from Black Africa at the start of the second round and could make his long-awaited debut against his former team. Jacobs’ counterpart Luckey Kakuva is a man of big match temperament and is armed with a well-defined pedigree in knockout cup competitions as a noted midfielder during his flourishing playing days with Chief Santos. “The players don’t need any motivation, they know exactly what is expected of them. We might be fresh from an unfortunate defeat against Tigers but that’s water under the bridge because players usually react differently to situations. But I’m confident they will recover sufficiently from that mini setback and put on a great show.” Tigers ready to pounce Only a fool will bet against Tigers not reaching the final at the expense of Eleven Arrows in the other semifinal but the seasiders should not be taken lightly. In Bobby Samaria, Ingweinyama has one of the most astute coaches in the business and should have little trouble waltzing past their lowly ranked coastal opponents. The match presents the ideal opportunity for the country’s oldest football club to make a serious statement about the club’s real potential. Given the stinking rich history of the club, Tigers have no business living in the shadows of their more illustrious neighbours Black Africa and African Stars. Tigers could not have asked for a more appropriate occasion to set the record straight as they seek to match their backto-back triumphs in the same competition in 1995 and 1996. Arrows also enjoyed success in 2011 with Pirates three times cup winners, while Stars hold the record for the most number of wins - four to be precise alongside Chief Santos. 2015-04-24Staff Report 2
