Namibian youngster secures dream move to Spain

Namibian centre-back and left-back Tjiunatjo Kakuenje (18) has completed a dream move to Europe after signing for Albacete Balompié FC in Spain's Segunda División (Second Division) from Bucks Buccaneers. The promising youngster began his football journey in Windhoek with Kaizen Football Academy, where he quickly stood out for his discipline and leadership qualities. He went on to captain the Namibia u17 School Sports Union team, which represented the country at the International School Sport Federation Football World Cup in China. During the tournament, Kakuenje scored Namibia's only goal in a 2-1 defeat to Morocco u17. He also captained the Namibia u17 national team in a game against German side Westfalia, where he found the back of the net in a 2-2 draw. Domestically, he represented the Khomas region in the u20 Regional Cup before making his Namibia Premier League debut at just 17 years old with Bucks Buccaneers. Reflecting on his early international experiences, Kakuenje says: "My first call-up was for the u17 team when I was 15. We played against Malawi in Malawi during the Region 5 Youth Games, and although we lost 2-1, it was a big learning experience for me." His performances at youth level did not go unnoticed. "My agent, Charles Domingo, saw me at the u20 Cosafa Cup that took place last year," he says. That moment would eventually open the door to his move to Spain. Now at Albacete, Kakuenje is embracing a new chapter in his young career. "I'm happy to be here and grateful for the opportunity God has given me," he says. "It's obviously different from my country, but the team has welcomed me very well and shown me nothing but love and support." Kakuenje is currently staying at the club's official facility, where he is focused on adapting both on and off the pitch. Despite his rapid rise, he remains humble and grounded in his faith. "I'm just a boy who believes in God, does everything through Christ, and tries to make my parents proud," he says. Kakuenje's move marks another proud moment for Namibian football, as the country continues to produce young talents who are breaking into top international leagues. Peter Shalulile's Mamelodi Sundowns cruised into the CAF Champions League group stages with a dominant 7-1 aggregate victory over Nigeria's Remo Stars. The South African champions won the second leg 2-0, with Shalulile scoring in both matches to help his side reach the group stages for an 11th consecutive season, equaling Al Ahly's record. It was, however, heartbreak for Deon Hotto and Orlando Pirates, whose hopes of advancing to the group stages were dashed by DR Congo's Saint-Éloi Lupopo. Pirates lost 3-0 away in the first leg but mounted an impressive comeback to level the tie 3-3 on aggregate. Unfortunately, they were eliminated 4-5 on penalties, ending their CAF Champions League campaign in the qualifying rounds after last season's semi-final finish. Meanwhile, Aprocius Petrus will be making his CAF Champions League debut after Al Hilal Omdurman qualified for the group stages with a 4-2 aggregate victory over Kenyan Police, winning the second leg 3-1. The Namibian international started the match on the bench, but celebrated progression to Africa's elite club competition. BRIGHT SPARK In South Africa's Motsepe Foundation Championship, Bethuel Muzeu continued his remarkable goal-scoring form, finding the net in Black Leopards' 2-1 defeat to league leaders Milford. Despite his team's struggles with just one win and five points so far, Muzeu has now scored six goals in seven games, proving to be a bright spark in a difficult campaign. Elsewhere, Ngero Katua and Ndisiro Kamaijanda both started for Highbury FC in a goalless draw against Castric Stars. The result extended their solid start to the season, with Highbury sitting third on the log with 15 points from seven games. Prins Tjiueza's Cape Town City have begun to recover after a slow start, recording back-to-back victories, including a 2-0 win over newly promoted The Bees. The three points lifted City to 11th place with nine points from eight games. The Namibian playmaker remains sidelined with injury, currently in stage two of his rehabilitation. Over in Georgia, Tjipe Karuuombe's Gonio FC continue to struggle in the second division, sitting second from bottom with 31 points from 30 matches following a 2-1 loss against his former club, Dinamo Tbilisi II. The Namibian defensive midfielder started the match before being substituted in the 58th minute by Brazilian midfielder Igor. In Malaysia, Petrus Shitembi played the full 90 minutes as his side Kuching City were held to a 1-1 draw by Penang FC in the Malaysia Premier League. The result keeps Kuching City in third place with 14 points after seven matches. In England, Ryan Nyambe got some valuable minutes under his belt after coming on in the 88th minute during Derby County's 1-0 victory over QPR in the English Championship. It was his first appearance after being an unused substitute in the last seven league matches. In Botswana, the much-anticipated clash between Sisqo Haraseb's Mochudi Centre Chiefs and Marcel Papama's Township Rollers lived up to expectations. Both Namibians started for their respective sides in front of a packed crowd. Mochudi took a 2-0 lead before Papama pulled one back from the penalty spot, but Rollers couldn't complete the comeback. Haraseb's Chiefs now sit second on the log, just one point behind the leaders, while Rollers occupy fourth place with 14 points.