By Kei Emmanuel Duku
Juba Local League Champion Malakia FC and representatives to the ongoing 2023/24, 11th edition of the South Sudan National League have progressed to the second round of the competition unbeaten after 2:1 win over Lion Hunters of Yei.
Emmanuel Jowang Kaka was named man of the match after his two strikes helped his team finish top of group B with 9 points ahead of Young Stars of Torit who finished second with 6 points after coming from a goal down to overcome Nile City of Yambio 2:1 in the last fixtures of Group B played on Thursday evening.
This is the third win for Malakia FC in the competition following a 5:0 victory against Nile City of Yambio and a 1:0 win against Young Stars of Toirt scoring 8 goals in the process and conceding 1 only against Loin Hunters.
In Group B, Young Stars of Torit, Nile City, and Loin Hunters all crushed out of the competition after failing the secure the top spot.
Meanwhile, another game played on Thursday evening in Wau Stadium in Wau showed Holy Family of Rumbek demolished Al-Salam FC of Kaujok by 8:1 in Group A fixtures to finish third in the competition whereas the match between Al-Hilal FC of Wau and Al-Salam FC Aweil played yesterday ended goalless.
For Al-Hilal FC to stand any chance of progressing to the next round they should have beaten table leaders Al-Salam FC, however, their failure to secure victory yesterday means Al-Salam FC progressed unbeaten too with 7 points out of three matches played and Al-Hilal FC crushed out the competition after finishing second with 5 points after winning one, drawing against Al-Salami FC-Aweil and Al Salam FC-Kaujok and winning against Holy Family FC.
Holy Family and Al-Salam FC Kaujok are the other 2 teams that dropped out finishing third and fourth respectively below Hilal FC.
In the second round of the fixtures, Al-Salam FC Aweil and Malakia FC who have already qualified will wait for the Group C winner which has Al-Merriekh FC Bentiu who is currently on the table with 3 points and 8 goals difference after humiliating Al-Tahiri 8:0 in their opening fixtures on Wednesday.
While Olympic FC of Renk was held to a goalless draw against Al-Tahrir FC yesterday in the Group C fixtures played at Buluk Training Centre in Juba.
Today Al-Merriekh FC will play against Koryom FC of Bor. Both teams won their opening fixtures 8:0 and 1:0 against Tahiri FC and Olympic Renk respectively however they are separated by goal difference.