Mixed fortunes for Namibian foreign legion
…as Vries, Hanamub impress
NAMIBIA’S veteran goalkeeper Virgil Vries was on Saturday breathtakingly exceptional between the sticks as he kept a clean sheet to help his South African club Swallows FC secure a narrow but well-deserved 1-0 win over Baroka FC during their DStv Premiership clash at the Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane.
The win saw Swallows, who gained promotion to the that country’s top tier league this season, go level on points with league log leaders Mamelodi Sundowns, who played to a 0-0 stalemate against SuperSport United also on Saturday. Swallows’ only goal of Saturday’s match came from in-form striker Ruzaigh Gamildien.
Sundowns and Swallows are sitting of the table with 25 points apiece, followed by SuperSport United, who are in third place with 23 points while Golden Arrows are fourth with 18 points.
The 31-year-old Namibian glovesman was in fine form as he superbly fended off numerous attacks from the stubborn Baroka assailants, who kept pushing forward in search of an elusive equaliser but Vries and his defence line were at all times equal to the task – making sure the Soweto-based outfit walk away as 1-0 victors.
Still in the South African DStv Premiership, Namibian defender Riaan Hanamub’s Chippa United also secured a narrow 1-0 over TS Galaxy at Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit, while Peter Shalulile’s Mamelodi Sundowns were held to a 0-0 draw by SuperSport United on Saturday.
In the South African GladAfrica Championship, Namibia’s goalie Loyd Kazapua on Friday registered a clean sheet to steer his club Cape Umoya United to a 1-0 victory against Bizana Pondo Chiefs, while defender Chris Katjiukua’s Cape Town Spurs on Saturday recorded a 2-1 win over JDR Stars but the Namibian did, however, not feature.
In the English Championship, RyanNyambe’sBlackburnRovers came from behind to force a 1-all draw against Stoke City on Saturday and in the Ethiopian Premier League, the Namibian pair of Itamunua Keimuine and Junior Theophilus’s club suffered a 3-1 defeat at the hands of Sidama Coffee.