• Sport

African Stars retains premiership title

• 1 Day Ago

African Stars Football Club has retained the Debmarine Namibia Premiership title with a 1-1 draw in an away match against Mighty Gunners FC yesterday securing their unassailable lead.

The ‘Reds’ travelled all the way to Otjiwarongo just needing one point to complete another successful season and they just did that by getting the result when it mattered.

The defending champions secured the title with one match to spare, after climbing to 57 points by yesterday.

Despite the club having changed two managers this season — Ronnie Kanalelo and Benni Haoseb (interim) – they still managed to defend their title, now under current coach Bob Mafoso from Lesotho.

Mbakondja Tjahikika of African Stars has been the league’s leading striker this season (14), one ahead of Simon Elago (FC Ongos, 13), Nguzu Salazar (Khomas Nampol, 13) and Giovanni Kaninab (Tigers, 13).

Young African FC, who were the closest chasers to the champions, will not be able to reach 57 points even if they win their last match.

The champions secured their triumph having won 16 of their 29 matches so far, while only losing four.

African Stars dropped two points with a draw on nine occasions. They scored 44 goals and conceded 22 in the process.

This is the club’s eighth Namibian premiership title and third consecutive victory of the topflight trophy.

Stars first won the trophy in 1994 and then again in the 2008-09 season, before also successfully defending it the next campaign.

It took Stars another four years before they were once again crowned champions of the premiership in the 2014-15 season.

The Windhoek-based club then went on to lift the title again in the 2017-18, 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons.



Young Brazilians relegated

Young Brazilians FC from Karasburg became the third premiership side to be relegated after playing to a 2-2 draw against Eeshoke Chula Chula.

The result meant that the Brazilians will not be able to go level or surpass the 12th-placed Julinho Athletics, who ensured their survival of relegation with one match to spare.

Young Brazilians joins Blue Boys and Cuca Tops who were already relegated about a week ago.

Newcomers KK Palace is the only team that were promoted to the premiership last year and who survived this season.

• At Walvis Bay, Blue Waters ran out 5-1 winners against Cuca Tops yesterday, with David Ndeunyema excelling with four goals along with one strike by Petrus Junior.

• Other results yesterday:

Eeshoke Chula Chula 2-2 Young Brazilians

KK Palace 1-1 Khomas Nampol

Blue Boys 2-2 Julinho Athletic

Tigers 0-2 Unam