With two weeks left, the Bank Windhoek National Outdoor Hockey Premier League fixtures, for both men and women, took place last week and over the weekend at the Windhoek High School (WHS) and the Wanderers (WAP) hockey fields in Windhoek. Based on analysis, Saints are in a commanding position to retain the title this season.Bank Windhoek Men's Premier League
On Wednesday, the WHS turf saw an encounter between the top two teams on the log: Saints and Deutscher Turn und Sportverein (DTS). In the second minute, DTS launched an attack into Saints 25-yard area and scored a field goal through JP Britz, which gave his team a 1:0 lead. However, Saints managed to notch an equalizer before the end of the first quarter via a penalty corner by Owen Hatton. Both teams missed chances in the second and third quarter.
In the last quarter, Saints took the game to DTS. As a result, Saints scored in the dying minutes of the match after DTS gave away a penalty. Saints' Cody van der Merwe scored from the penalty spot. The match concluded in a 2:1 win for Saints.
On Friday, Wanderers and University of Namibia (UNAM) clashed at WAP. The first half saw both teams squaring each other up with UNAM going early in the lead as Kave Tjikuniva finished off a penalty corner. UNAM's Delron Handura scored another goal to take it to 2:0. However, Wanderers broke through UNAM's defence and pulled a goal back scored by Penda Namundjabo. Wanderers' Nicol Loftie-Eaton also scored a few minutes later to tie the score at 2-all at the break.
In the second half, UNAM took the game to Wanderers. In a blink of an eye, UNAM managed to score four goals without a reply. UNAM's Kaizemi Kandjii, Mbatata Uremeni, Delron Handura and Tjikuniva, all found the net in quick successions. UNAM won the match 6:2.
The X-Team played Saints. The latter had no mercy on the coastal side whom they outplayed in all positions. As a result, Saints scored nine goals. Fagan Hansen scored a hat trick, while Damien Schutz scored a brace and Nico Neethling, Michael Kotze, Josh van der Merwe and Owen Hatton, registered a goal apiece. X-Team's Vialli Visagie pulled a goal back late in the last quarter. The final score was 9:1 in favour of Saints.
On Sunday, X-Team took on DTS. X-Team could not contain DTS' pressure which saw them leak a goal during the early stages of the match, as David Britz found the net via a penalty. Shortly thereafter, DTS' Percy Bartham scored another goal. Nonetheless, X-Team's Visagie pulled a goal back, but before the end of the first quarter, DTS' Billy Beukes scored another goal, which placed his team in 3:1 lead.
In the second quarter, X-Team managed to launch an attack in DTS' half which paid off when they scored a field goal by Joseph Mungandjela. DTS came back and scored two minutes later as Britz stretched their lead to 4:2. DTS later increased their lead with goals from Lenard Fick, Beukes and two penalty corners by Willian De'arth. DTS won the encounter 8:2.
Bank Windhoek women's Premier League
Saints played DTS on Wednesday. DTS' Wendy-Lee Milne scored the first goal of the match which gave her team a 1:0 lead. Saints, however regained ground and started to take control of the game by dominating the midfield. They were rewarded early in the second half with an equalizer from Azaylee Philander. Saints scored four more goals, as Gina Olles, Celle Wessels, Azaylee Philander and Danja Meyer, found the net. Saints won 5:1.
Wanderers and UNAM played against each other on Friday. Wanderers managed to break UNAM's defence and at the brink of the end of the first quarter, Bianca Muller registered a goal to take her team into a 1:0 lead. Wanderers' Muller once again found the net to make it 2:0, the final score.
On Saturday, DTS and Windhoek Old Boys Sports Club (WOBSC) met at WAP. This fixture ended in a 1-all draw, with goals from Jarien Hartzenberg and Adore Meyer respectively.
The Bank Windhoek National Outdoor Hockey Premier League continues on Wednesday, 23, Friday, 25 and Saturday, 26 October 2019 at the WHS and WAP hockey turfs in Windhoek.
