By Carlos Kambaekwa
WINDHOEK
After a fortnight’s breather from league activities, it’s business as usual when the MTC Namibia Premier League goes into round four this weekend with several high-profiled matches on the cards.
Both African Stars and Orlando Pirates, still licking their wounds following their unceremonious exit from the FNB Knockout Cup last weekend, will be out to restore some lost pride when the pair meets at the Sam Nujoma Stadium in Windhoek tonight (19h00).
Pirates are currently tied up with Ramblers and defending champions Civics on the summit of the Namibia Premiership log standing with 7 points each, and victory over their rivals could see the Ghosts firmly in the driving seat after their lukewarm showing against a 10-man Ramblers outfit in the quarterfinals of the FNB Cup.
The Buccaneers have rattled their opponents’ net on six occasions since the start of their league campaign and the team’s watertight defence manned by on-loan Bidvest Wits’ tough-as-steak defender Richard “Ou Rhee” Gariseb have conceded only two goals – both away from home.
Stars’ inconsistency should be a cause of concern for under-fire coach Gilbert Rwasoka and the Zimbabwean mentor surely needs to find a winning formula soon if he is to escape the wrath of the Reds’ success-starving supporters.
The Reds are lingering in 7th position on the NPL log standing with 4 points and have only tested the opponents’ net four times while their defence have been quite generous too – giving away the same number of goals in their first three matches.
However, Stars could turn the tables with discarded Brave Warriors’ star Congo Hindjou likely to make his much-anticipated league debut for the Reds, but the former Liverpool midfielder appeared rusty during last weekend’s FNB Cup and would need to jack up his stamina if he is to convince Rwasoka of deserving a starting berth on the team sheet.
Elsewhere, Ramblers will be looking at stretching their unbeaten run in the 2007/2008 League season when the Tunchel Street boys tackle Mighty Gunners in their own backyard at the Mokati Stadium in Otjiwarongo tomorrow.
The men in green uniform are finding life a bit tricky in the rigours of top-flight football with only a single point to boast about – courtesy of a home draw against Tigers in their opening match with subsequent heavy defeats against African Stars and Eleven Arrows which saw Dawid Snewe’s charges conceding seven goals in their last two league outings.
Action returns to the capital when Tigers welcome Oshakati City at the Sam Nujoma Stadium tomorrow afternoon, while fellow strugglers APS Blue Waters will be looking at collecting their first maximum points of the season at the expense of basement occupiers Fedics United at the Kuisebmond Stadium in Walvis Bay.
The fairytale run of Cymot SKW could be prematurely disrupted when the Germans travel to the coast for a confrontation with the dangerous KM Eleven Arrows outfit at the Kuisebmond Stadium to wrap up the weekend’s league activities on Sunday (15h00).
Going into round four, the MTC Namibia Premiership has seen an avalanche of goals with no less than 47 goals scored after 18 games – an average of 2.1 goals per match which augurs well for the development of the game and gives the fans value for their money.
Meanwhile, a first-half strike by Jerome Louis gave Black Africa a well-deserved 1- 0 win over defending champions Civics in a midweek MTC Namibia Premiership clash at the Sam Nujoma Stadium on Wednesday evening.
NB: Unless otherwise stated, all matches start at 18h00.