WINDHOEK – Perched in an unfamiliar 4th place on the MTC Premiership log table, the country’s flagship football league’s surprise package, Citizens Football Club remains the only unbeaten side in the current campaign.
However, their resilience will be put to test when they host wounded Tigers at the Sam Nujoma Stadium north of Windhoek tonight at 19h00.
The Citizens are five points off the pace of early joint pace setters Black Africa and Mighty Gunners, another good performance will move them within two points from the summit.
Perennial underachievers Citizens, boasts a commendable tally of 11 points from a possible 21 – courtesy of two wins, five draws and are yet to taste defeat after seven rounds of matches.
In contrast, “Ingwe” are languishing in an uncomfortable 10th spot on the log standings with seven points from a possible 18 – having played a match lesser than many of their peers including tonight’s opponents.
The dethroned champions are yet to move into first gear and could only muster one single win and four draws after six rounds of matches since the start of the 2018/2019 term.
In the meantime, murmurs of discontent can be heard amongst disgruntled squad members from the Citizen’s camp over non payment of salaries and bonuses but these off the field issues appear to have very little impact, if any, on the field of play.
Tigers will be banging on their main target man Mapenzi Muwanei, to rediscover his scoring touch. However, they are facing a team with their tails up, fresh from a well deserved 1-all draw against serious title contenders Mighty Gunners in their last league encounter before the Christmas break.
In the corresponding fixture last term, the Citizens were chief beneficiary of a green table decision after their opponents failed to honour their scheduled league fixture – obliging league authorities to declare a walk over, but “Ingwe” corrected matters on the field of play where football matches are won and lost in the second round. Tigers emerged 4-2 winners.