Joyful cheers and bitter tears characterised the winners and losers as the Sakaja Super Cup regional finals were played today, Sunday, 17 December 2023 at the ASK Jamhuri show ground to set the stage for the first Sakaja Super Cup grand finale that is scheduled to be played on Tuesday 19th December, 2023 at the Police Sacco Stadium.
It will be a conclusion of a three month long tournament with mouth watering clashes between the winners of the Nairobi West and Nairobi East regions.
In the ladies competition, Embakasi Central’s Club Jojo from Nairobi East will battle it out with Westland’s Kibagare Girls from Nairobi West in a tantalizing girls’ final.
Club Jojo and Kibagare Gilrs booked their slots to play in the final on Sunday, 17 December 2023 at the ASK Jamhuri Show Grounds. Club Jojo out-classed Makadara’s Michezo Halisi Kenya to a 4-2 victory in the Sakaja Super Cup Narobi East regional finals.
Club Jojo were tactical in the first half as Jane Juma put them ahead beating Michezo Halisi goalkeeper Margaret Omaya in a goal mouth melee after Akinyi’s shot was blocked by the keeper.
Akinyi struck with a low shot inside the box before Racheal Omori found the net from 16 yards to head into the half time with a three goals up. Faith Boke scored a fourth time for club Jojo in the second half before Paola Wairimu pulled one back for Michezo Halisi Kenya, and her third goal of the tournament.
The Michezo Halisi Kenya, seeking a come back were quick on the ball as Babra Nandaka found the back of the net but Club Jojo held on to emerge victorious.
In the Nairobi West regional finals, Kibagare Girls laboured to a goal less draw against Slum Scorers before claiming a slim penalty shoot out victory and book their slot in the Sakaja Super Cup grand finals.
Slum Scorers went first in the post match penalties but lost all of their four penalties as Kibagare Slums from Westlands sub county scored two penalties courtesy of second half substitutes Brenda Nasambu and Mackline Akinyi.
And despite Kibagare’s Felicia Maua hitting the post in the third penalty, Veronica Nyambura’s fourth penalty for Slum scorers went wide gifting Kibagare a 2-0 victory.
In a tough men’s duel, where only the strongest survive, Kawasaki Sports Club grabbed a dramatic 1-0 victory over Kibagare Slums in the Nairobi West regional finals.
Kawasaki Sports will be a fans favourite when they play in-front of home fans at Police Sacco Stadium in the Sakaja Super Cup grand finals.
Kawasaki came into the match charged for victory making clear their intentions in the opening minutes of the match when Albert Sundays shot was stopped by Kibagare keeper George Njuguna in the 6th minute.
Stanley Onyango of Kibagare Slums hit the top bar in the 17th minute in a deadly attack as both teams played all out keeping both shot stoppers busy in the first half to head into the break in a nil nil draw.
Victor Madegwa made the difference when he unleashed a thunderbolt after finding a one on one opportunity with the goal keeper to score the only goal of the match sending the hundreds of travelling fans into frenzy.
In the days last regional finals pitting Githurai All Stars against Victors Faith from Nairobi East, Githurai All Stars stormed into the grand finals in style following their 2-0 victory over Victors Faith FC in a terse Thika Road Derby.
Bouyed by their chanting fans who came in droves, Githurai All Stars settled into the match fast getting to business after David Wonder made the first attempt at goal in the 4th minute but Victors Faith goal keeper Isaac Muya punched t out for a coner.
Fine play from Githurai All stars captain Teddy Ouko and mid field maestro Kevin Kimani gifted Douglas Manga a chance to beat the keeper at close range in the 17th minute as he found the net to send fans into thunderous cheers.
Eric Kuria made another dangerous attack in the 24th minute as Githurai continued to pile pressure on their neighbours.
Wisdom Wakoli had a chance to equalise in the 34th minute but slid at the edge of the box.
Nahashon Thiong’o slotted in easy inside the six yard box as the Victors faith players watched in dismay in the 73rd minute to seal the fate for Victors faith who came into the second half in an offensive attempt to equalize.
Githurai will face off with the winners from Nairobi West Kawasaki Sports from Starehe who will be playing infront of their home South B fans at the Police Sacco Stadium in South C in the finals.
Winners of the competition will pocket 3 million prize money with runners up getting 2 million and the third place finishers 1million shillings. The winners of the ladies finals stand a chance to take home 1 Million shillings prize money with the runners up taking home a 500,000 shillings prize money and 250,000 shillings for the third placed team.
The best fan base will also walk away with prize money with teams with the most decorated and organised fan bases getting 300,000 shillings for the winners, 200,000 for the second placed and 100,000 shillings for the third placed fan bases.
