Julinho Sporting F.C. (also known as the Rundu Lions)[1] is a Namibian football club competing in the Namibia Premier League.[2] The team is based in Rundu in the Kavango East region. The team earned a promotion to the 2014–15 Namibia Premier League after winning the 2013–14 North East First Division title.[3] In their first season in the Premier League, the team placed 13th.[2]
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| Full name | Julinho Football Club | |
|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | Rundu Lions | |
| Founded | 2002 | |
| Ground | Rundu Sports Stadium, Rundu | |
| Capacity | 500 | |
| Owner | Nelson and Norton Luis | |
| Chairman | Joao Paulo Dos Santos | |
| Manager | Nelson Luis | |
| League | Namibia Premier League | |
| Website | Club website | |
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History edit
Julinho Sporting F.C. was founded in 2002 by brothers Nelson and Norton Luis in Rundu. They named the team after their late father, Julio Luis. The three had previously been involved with a community football club called Cola-Cola Sporting. The club spent nine years in Namibia's Second Division and was originally composed of players from the Maria Mwengere Secondary School. Julinho Sporting won a promotion to the First Division for the 2011–12 season.[4][5]
Julinho Sporting F.C. won the North East First Division in the 2013–14 season after a 2–0 win against Bingo F.C. The victory earned the club a spot in the 2014–15 Namibia Premier League.[3][6] In their first season, the club earned 9 wins, 5 draws, and 16 losses for a total of 32 points. They finished in 13th place, avoiding relegation by a single point.[2][7] In the summer of 2015, the club earned a spot in the Dr. Hage Geingob Cup in Windhoek. The club garnered over 30,000 votes in a public voting competition to become the 4th and final entrant into the tournament.[8] Other clubs in the tournament included Namibia's African Stars F.C., South Africa's Mamelodi Sundowns F.C., and Angola's C.D. Primeiro de Agosto.[9] Julinho Sporting lost to African Stars 5–4 on penalties after a 1–1 draw.[10][11] They would eventually lose the third-place game 1–0 against Primeiro de Agosto.[12]
The team earned their first victory of the season against Flamingo F.C. 1–0 on 20 September.[13]
Achievements edit
- Namibia Second Division: 1
- 2012
- Namibia First Division: 1
- 2014 (Promotion to Namibia Premier League)
References edit
- ^ "Julinho Sporting FC – Club Infos". www.datasportsgroup.com. Data Sports Group. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 5 October 2015.
- ^ a b c Kathindi, Andreas (3 August 2015). "Julinho Sporting takes lessons from Hage Geingob Cup". Lela Mobile. Archived from the original on 26 November 2015. Retrieved 5 October 2015.
- ^ a b "Julinho Sporting FC gains promotion to NPL". Namibian Sun. 28 April 2014. Archived from the original on 26 November 2015. Retrieved 5 October 2015.
- ^ Uugwanga, Michael (7 May 2015). "Julinho with fighting chance". Informante. Archived from the original on 26 November 2015. Retrieved 5 October 2015.
- ^ Uugwanga, Michael (22 September 2014). "Julinho's coach confident of survival". The Villager. Retrieved 5 October 2015.
- ^ "Namibia: Julinho Sporting FC Promoted to NPL". AllAfrica.com. 27 April 2014. Retrieved 5 October 2015.
- ^ "Premier League". www.soccerway.com. Soccer Way. Retrieved 5 October 2015.
- ^ "Julinho Sporting wins Hage Geingob Cup SMS competition... set to face 'Starlile'". New Era. 15 July 2015. Archived from the original on 12 October 2015. Retrieved 5 October 2015.
- ^ "Namibia/South Africa: Modise Leads Sundowns Back to Namibia". AllAfrica.com. 21 July 2015. Retrieved 5 October 2015.
- ^ Schutz, Helge (24 July 2015). "Namibia: Sundowns, Stars Through to Geingob Cup Final". AllAfrica.com. Retrieved 5 October 2015.
- ^ "Reds survives scare... gutsy Julinho bows out fighting with boots on". New Era. 24 July 2015. Archived from the original on 26 November 2015. Retrieved 5 October 2015.
- ^ "Sundowns retain Dr Hage Geingob Cup ... Stars' new recruits come of age". New Era. 27 July 2015. Archived from the original on 26 November 2015. Retrieved 5 October 2015.
- ^ "Julinho Sporting FC". www.soccerway.com. Soccer Way. Retrieved 5 October 2015.