Black Africa finally announced as NPL winners

Black Africa are officially the 2013/2014 Namibia Premier League (NPL) champions after the league’s chairman, Johnny Doeseb, announced yesterday that the football competition had been concluded. Confusion had reigned following African Stars’ decision to protest the outcome of their abandoned match against Orlando Pirates, of which the outstanding eight minutes were played last Wednesday. Trailing 2-0 at the time the match was abandoned on April 16 due to a power outage in the vicinity of the Sam Nujoma Stadium, Stars failed to reverse that outcome last Wednesday, thereby ceding the points to Pirates. The result gave Pirates a haul of 42 points while Stars finished the season on 45, granting Black Africa the title as they had secured 46 points. Stars had lodged a protest during last Wednesday’s match, citing the usage of a player who had reportedly already been substituted when the game was originally abandoned. That protest has now seemingly come to naught as Doeseb yesterday issued a statement congratulating Black Africa for the “remarkable success” of winning the NPL for a fourth consecutive campaign. “On behalf of the BOG’s [Board of Governors], I offer my congratulations to the leadership of BA, their coaching staff, players and supporters…,” he said in the statement. “This has been a fantastic season from the beginning with a bit of challenges closer to the end of the season… Congratulations also to all other teams who have competed tirelessly throughout the season.” Black Africa will now claim the N$1 million given to the league champions. They are set to receive the winner’s trophy at the official awards ceremony at a date still to be announced by the NPL. WINDHOEK-SPORT REPORTER