After the semifinals of the MTC Maris Cup at Mariental Sports Field, Young African and African Stars are set to clash in the finals. The two teams will battle it out for N$1.5 million and a trophy. Both teams earned their places in the MTC Maris Cup finals following victories in the semifinals.
Young African took on Unam FC in a semifinal match, emerging victorious with a 3-1 scoreline. The team’s attacking prowess was displayed as Marshall Murere opened the score sheet in the 14th minute. Aichel Calane doubled the lead, and Denzel Narib sealed the win with a third goal.
Speaking after the match, Young African’s head coach, Maleagi Ngarizemo, credited his team’s tactical approach for their success. “The plan was to wait and counter, and it worked very well for us. UNAM FC are a good passing team, but their boys lack a bit of experience. The refusal of Correctional to allow their employees to play for the club really hurt them. I even had to bring in nine to 10 players who weren’t employed by them, and they were told that if they wanted employment, they shouldn’t play for us anymore,” he said.
Ngarizemo reflected on the importance of strengthening his squad. They had to regroup, and luckily, they had three weeks to prepare. They brought in experienced players, including goalkeeper Thabo Makae, Number 10 Calane, and centre-back Mathopa Mathopi from South Africa. These players have been supporting the young talents in the squad.
The coach emphasised the challenges of team building and the financial sacrifices he had to make. “I had to pay N$12 000 this morning to get our tall centre-back registered. We also had our Nigerian striker, who is very popular and has played for many clubs in South Africa, in the stands today, as he just arrived from South Africa,” he said.
Meanwhile, in the last game of the semifinal, African Stars triumphed over Bucks Buccaneers, with a 2-1. New South African born Young African player Calane says his experience in Namibian football has been good so far.
Calane marked his Young African debit with a goal in the semifinals of the MTC Maris cup against Unam at Mariental on Saturday. He joined the team two weeks ago.
“I’m happy that I scored. My family is watching back home, and I know they are proud of me,” he said.
He added that he’s happy to bring new football experience to Namibia and that his team and coach believe in him.
Head coach Benni Haoseb expressed pride in how the team played, highlighting their discipline and the resilience they showed, especially after the hiccup of an own goal.
“I told the team that we were up 2-1, and it was all about using our minds. If we can’t score, then they can’t score, and the team kept that mindset,” he said.
Haoseb, also mentioned that they will prepare for the finals, where they will face Young African, acknowledging that it won’t be an easy match as Young African scored three goals in their semifinal.
“We are going to prepare differently, but not something special. We still have to go through the draw and fix what we can fix,” he said.
Jordan Jorries Afrikaner, an Orlando Pirates legend, said he enjoyed the game and believed the Bucks Buccaneers could have won.
“For me, it was a good game, but I think we must educate the referees. That last goal for Bucks Buccaneers could have been a penalty. I also played soccer,” he said. He added that there has been improvement in soccer, but the players need more education about the game.
“All in all, soccer has improved, and I’m proud of all the teams. They played very well. It’s great to see young boys playing football professionally,” he said.
-pmukokobi@nepc.com