Young African gains promotion

Young African Football Club (FC) from Gobabis will make their debut in the MTC Namibia Premier League (NPL) next season.
They won the 2015/16 Southern Stream First Division (SSFD) after trashing Blue Boys 7-1 on Sunday.
Speaking to Nampa after the match, coach Marcelo Wakudumo expressed his joy and gave credit to the players, who he called the driving force behind the team’s success.
“It is an exciting day for us and for everybody.
I think the town of Gobabis will be proud of what the boys have done,” said Wakudumo.
He urged the players to be vigilant and persevere, noting that the challenge is even harder as the elite league requires strategy, a high level of competitiveness and experience to succeed.
“We will have to go back to the drawing board and strategise. We will need additional players to bring the much-needed experience and we will also look at structural reinforcements that will be crucial to the team’s longevity in the NPL,” said the coach. The score was 2-1 in favour of Young African at halftime.
Mali Ngarizemo, the club’s founder and owner, described the victory as a reflection of what has been invested in the team.
“I feel very emotional but I am happy that the boys did us proud after three long years. I know people doubted me and this team when we started but I am happy that we have claimed our place,” said Ngarizemo.
Blue Boys head coach Costa Linovene had a bittersweet moment but was quick to add that he was happy for Young African. “I am very happy for them and I hope that they stay there [in the NPL] and not come back after next season, but I am also confident that we will join them in the NPL in due course,” said Linovene.
Otjiwarongo-based North-West First Division (NWFD) outfit Life Fighters became the first team to be promoted to the elite league.
The North-East First Division winner is not yet known.
The winners of the three streams gain promotion to the NPL, from which three teams will be relegated in May. The trio will take up the place of Flamingos, United Stars and Julinho Sporting, who were all relegated from the NPL, which concluded over the weekend.
This season’s NPL season ended early because Namibia is preparing to host the Council of South African Football Associations (Cosafa) Cup in June. That event will see 14 countries converging on Windhoek to compete for the cup that is held by Namibia’s Brave Warriors.
The Warriors are the defending champions after claiming a 2-0 victory over Mozambique during last year’s tournament, which was staged in Rustenburg, South Africa.
-Additional reporting by own reporter.

NAMPA