Unam Football Club sent a decisive message to other Namibia Premier Football League Clubs on Saturday by beating newly promoted Okakarara Young Warriors with a commanding 5-1 victory in the Debmarine Premiership clash held at Unam Stadium in the capital city.
The students asserted their potential as title contenders but ruthlessly beat the newcomers through goals by Paulus Amutenya, Friedemann Goraseb, Donaldson Makaru, and Godwin Eiseb.
Young Warriors replied through Deon Gariseb.
This victory marked Unam’s second win of the season, solidifying their early season form.
Reflecting on the convincing victory, Ronnie Kanalelo, the head coach of Unam, acknowledged the team’s sluggish start, which led to conceding a goal in the first half.
He emphasised the need for quick regrouping and self-improvement as they regained control of the match, saying, “We faced some challenges in the first half, despite having a 2-0 lead, and we also allowed them to score an easy goal. It was partly due to positioning issues, but we made positional adjustments, and that’s when things started to click. We knew they would rely on the long ball, and after their goal, they stuck to that strategy. However, we swiftly rectified our approach, especially in handling loose balls, and eventually, we seized control of the game.”
Emmel Katjimune, the coach of Okakarara Young Warriors, conceded that his players struggled to follow instructions, particularly in the wing-back positions, which ultimately led to their downfall.
However, he remained optimistic, stating, “It was an issue of organisation; the players didn’t fully adhere to our instructions, especially in the wing-back positions, where we couldn’t match our opponents. That’s where they capitalised. But in football, setbacks happen. We will regroup and prepare for our next encounter; it’s all part of the learning curve.”
In other matches on Friday and Saturday, Katutura giants Orlando Pirates secured a 2-1 victory over FC Ongos on Friday night, while newly promoted side Khomas Nampol edged past Tigers with a score of 2-1. Defending champions African Stars demonstrated their formidable prowess with a comfortable 2-0 win against Young Africans, while Civics emerged victorious over Young Brazilians, clinching a 3-2 victory. Okahandja United beat Blue Waters 2-1 in the Garden Town.
- mkambukwe@nepc.com.na