Exciting scenes of class and resilience will be at play today as school team Ebwali boys take on the 2023 Football Kenya Federation Division 2 Zone A champions Compel Sportif FC in the Chapa Dimba na Safaricom western regional finals set to be played today at the Bukhungu stadium in Kakamega county.
The Vihiga champions Ebwali Boys, who edged Kakamega’s The Menace securing a 3-2 win in the last match of the day-long semifinals attended by thousands of fans will be seeking to prove that school teams can match up to clubs playing in professional leagues as Compel Sportif come determined to win the regionals for their place at tha national championships following their loss in the division 1 promotion play off to FKF Division 2 Zone B runners up GFE 105 last month.
Compel Sportiff FC emerged the champions of the Bungoma County Safaricom Chapa Dimba finals at the Pan Paper Grounds.
The Chapa Dimba na Safaricom which is a national football tournament for male and female youth aged between 16-20 years is aimed at transforming the lives of young people by giving them a platform to showcase their talent and an opportunity to earn from their passion.
Once again, the school games have proved to pull more crowds better that the national clubs competitition, in a repeat of schenes witnessed during the Kenya National Secondary School Games ball games competiton at the same venue where record breaking crowds turned up for the finals.
Ebwali survived a scare to overcome Kakamega’s Menace securing a 3-2 win in the last match of the day-long semifinals attended by thousands of fans.
Ebwali took the lead in the 12th minute through Austin Ondongo who scored a delightful goal. Sharif Muranda equalised for The Menance via a freekick that sailed all the way through 10 minutes before the break.
Ebwali started the second half brightly, and a thunderbolt by Tom Oserio restored their lead. Captain Derrick Oketch made it 3-1 in the 65th minute following a six-yard box melee. The Menace made the final minutes nervy, after Muranda scored his second goal via a penalty 7 minutes from time but Ebwali hang on to win and sail into the Western region final.
In the first boys semifinal, Compel Sportif’’s booked their spot in the final after sinking Busia’s John Osogo on 5-3 penalties after a 3-3 draw in regular time. Titus Gambo, fired a hat trick for Compel Sportif as Ibramovic Twalaha, Victor Mango and Silvester Adundo scored a goal each for John Osogo.
In the girls’ finals, it will be an all schools affair as Grenda girls from Bungoma play Lugari Progressive from Kakamega. The home team and region’s reigning champions Lugari Progressive demonstrated their pedigree to beat Maroon Queens from Vihiga County 3-0, courtesy of Marion Musanga’s goal in the 44th minute, Linda Achieng’s strike 3 minutes after the break and Mitchel Jepkogoi’s header in 11 minutes from full time.
Lugari Progressive coached by former Kenyan international Fred Serenge will now face off against Brenda Girls from Bungoma, who secured their slot in the finals after hammering Chakol Mixed 4-1.
Brenda Girls bounced back from going a goal down at the break to score four times in the second half courtesy of a brace by Esther Mukhwana and goals by Lavenda Nasambu and Joina Namukuru.
