African Stars have pocketed N$1.5 million after clinching victory in the first-ever MTC Maris Cup on Saturday.
A crowd of several thousand spectators gathered at the Hage Geingob Stadium for the game, and Stars did not let down their supporters. A first-half goal by star player Willy Stephanus ensured their win.
The stars emerged aggressively, generating several opportunities early on, yet striker Youssouf Ibrahim was unable to capitalize on them.
The Stars took the initiative at the 14-minute mark when they won a corner. The ball was played out to Stephanus, who struck an impressive shot from just outside the penalty area. His powerful effort flew into the left-hand side of the net.
The stars kept launching assaults and had multiple chances during the opening period, yet neither Stephanus nor Abram Tjahikika could find the back of the net.
A young African returned even more resolute following his time off, with Nkwuda Obinna delivering solid crosses from the left flank. Meanwhile, Denzil Narib saw one of his headers brilliantly blocked by Stars’ goalkeeper Mervin Kasetura, and Deacon Kakuenje missed an opportunity when he sent another header over the crossbar from just a short distance away.
As the match entered its concluding moments, intense aerial challenges emerged, and with tempers flaring out of control, referee Vistoria Shangula struggled immensely to maintain order.
A young African player was unable to secure an equalizer, and as a result, the Stars managed to claim the trophy along with the winner-takes-all prize of N$1.5 million.
Following the game, Stephanus mentioned that their past experiences were crucial in the finale.
“The sense of accomplishment from clinching the inaugural Maris Cup is incredible, and I’m hopeful this will become an annual prize. We recognize that Young African is a strong opponent; their players are ambitious and always eager to compete against us due to our longstanding rivalry over the last couple of years, which ultimately came down to our experience today,” he stated.
“The players hold this trophy in high regard, and it will significantly enhance our momentum as we continue with our league efforts moving ahead. Since we’re currently leading the league, we aim to maintain this position and strive for our third championship title,” he concluded.
Stephanus likewise expressed gratitude to the fans of Stars for their backing.
The Starlite supporters consistently show up in large numbers, particularly here in Windhoek, so we must express our gratitude as players. We demonstrate this appreciation through our performance on the field.
The young African defender Dylan Horongo mentioned that Stars capitalized on opportunities and committed fewer errors.
“He mentioned that we understood the team taking risks would be the one to emerge as victors. The squad minimizing errors would ultimately claim victory, hence Stars seized their opportunities at the beginning of the match and subsequently controlled the game flow,” he stated.
“Since the cup is now complete, we’ll return to the planning stage to address our errors. We will face them again on Tuesday, but that’s alright; they can keep the cup, yet the league belongs to us,” he said additionally.
The Stars midfielder, Abram Tjahikika, took home the Player of the Tournament award, while their goalie, Kasetura, received the Goalkeeper of the Tournament accolade. Each was awarded N$20,000 for their exceptional performances.
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