• Football

Bucks Buccaneers keep chasing cup dream

• 4 Hours Ago

Bucks Buccaneers coach Woody Jacobs says his team will keep on chasing their dream of winning the 2024 MTC Maris Cup, which goes with a winner’s cheque of N$1.5 million – even if they are confronted with a daunting task.

The team will travel from the capital to the north where they are set to battle King Kauluma Palace on Saturday in the quarter-final of the knockout competition.

“The team is building up from last weekend, because we are now at the business end of the tournament and this will be a crucial period for us.

“All I can say is that we keep on dreaming of winning the cup, even if we are facing a difficult journey to get there,” Jacobs said.

The Buccaneers advanced to the quarter-final after beating Julinho Athletics 3-0 in the round of 16 at the Hage Geingob Stadium last weekend.

Their goal-scorers on the day were Desmond Bester Useb (former FC Ongos striker, who spent a part of last year with Orapa United in Botswana), with a brace, and Jantze Engelbrecht against a strong Julinho Athletics team.

Their next assignment, however, is the KK Palace team which last weekend knocked out the current Debmarine Premier League log leaders, Khomas Nampol FC, in an action-packed match.

“We are facing a daunting task, because we are playing KK Palace in their own backyard and it is not going to be easy.

“Our sights remain firmly set on gaining the victory and advancing to the last four of the competition.

“Winning in Oshakati will do wonders for us, because the semis are in Mariental, which happens to be the home for many of our supporters.”

The two clubs recently played in the Premier League, and the match ended 1-1 in the capital.



One injury loss

Bucks Buccaneers will have to play without one of their star players, Herman Uruseb, who picked up an injury in their match against Julinho Athletic last weekend.

The quarter-final encounters at Oshakati are expected to create an electric atmosphere as eight of Namibia’s big club teams prepare for battle.

FC Ongos has been drawn against an in-form Young African team (14:00 Saturday), before Unam FC is pitted against Walvis Bay hopefuls Blue Waters FC in another tense eliminator (17:00).

On Sunday at 13:00, Otjiwarongo’s Mighty Gunners will aim to upset the ambitious powerhouse African Stars. The Gunners needed a shootout to edge 10-9 past the unlucky Tigers after a 2-2 draw, before African Stars had less trouble disposing of Blue Boys 3-0.

At 16:00, King Kauluma Palace then faces Bucks Buccaneers in an expected crowd-puller, given that Palace hails from the northern parts of the country and faces a challenger from the capital.

The MTC Maris Cup semi-final round is slated for Mariental on 14 February.