• Sport

Karibib boys out to clip Blue Birds wings

• 1 Month Ago - 2024-08-15 00:00:00

The Namibian Football Association (NFA), announced that Blue Birds FC and Karibib FC will contest the Erongo Football (EFL) League playoffs fixture to determine the EFL Champion.
The winner of the match on Saturday, 17 August 2024 at Swakopmund Football Club (SFC) Stadium (15:00), will advance to the promotion playoffs of the Southern Stream First Division (SSFD). NFA league director Mabos Vries explained that the playoffs will be played over a single match. “In case of a draw additional time of fifteen (15) minutes per period (half) applies, after which the winner will be decided by a penalty shootout if the extra time ends in a stalemate.”
High flying
According to the final log standing of the Erongo Football League Coastal Stream provided by the NFA on 13 Augustus, Blue Birds pipped Namibian Navy FC to the first spot on goal difference. Both teams finished on 38 points collected from 12 wins, two draws and four defeats.
Blue Birds scored 46 goals and conceded 24 goals for a goal difference of 22. Namibian Navy scored 42 goals and conceded 28 goals for a goal difference of 14. “We did not stop training after we concluded our league obligations and are ready for the challenge. Our players regard this as a bonus,” said the chairman of the Blue Birds, Benhard Haimbodi.
Ready for battle
Blue Birds did not play Karibib FC this season but defeated them via penalties in the NFA Cup. “ We are a structured team with a policy in place which determines that players who do not practice cannot play. We boast a lethal attack, fast and tactically capable wingers with a rock solid defence.”
Haimbodi emphasized that Blue Birds is an independent entity with no connections to the Premier League outfit Blue Waters. “We never played in the First Division and would relish the opportunity to do so. Our game plan is to score early and to ensure that we do what is required to advance to the next round of the promotional play-offs.”
Young and ambitious
Karibib FC coach Wallace Doeseb joined the team in 2015. “When I arrived in Karibib, I saw a group of players playing on a ground pitch. I noticed their quality, mobilised them into a squad and we started competing in tournaments. Navachab Gold Mine equipped Karibib stadium with a grass pitch and the stadium became our home ground provided that we maintain the pitch.”
Of the 16 Erongo Football League Inland Stream matches Karibib FC played, they won 12, recorded three draws and suffered one loss. The team scored 42 goals and conceded 18 goals.
Motivated
Doeseb says he does not have any star players and prefers to rotate his squad “I have come a long way with the players. Some have left and are now competing in the premier league. The average age of the squad is between 21 and 22 years old and they are a good group of all rounders. It is an open secret that we play by creating spaces and keeping ball possession. We do not kick balls away.”
According to Doeseb, the team aims to show that the Karibib area has quality players. “We have achieved this by reaching this round of the playoffs. I am proud of my boys. We will play Blue Birds and show the rest of Namibia what we are capable of. We learned from our NFA Cup game against them and will not make the same mistake twice. This time it is about seeing the team progress to the First Division and ultimately fighting our way into the Premier League. We want to produce players for the national team.”