Steifmaster's Brace not Good Enough as KSJ Suffer Narrow Loss

Steve Suso ‘Steifmaster’ scored a brace for Kenya Sports Journalists (KSJ) but the scribes still slumped to a 4-3 capitulation at the hands of Maringo Bombers in a friendly match played at Ofafa Maringo grounds this past Sunday.

Ayoo put KSJ ahead in an entertaining end to end first half that had three goals to boot. KSJ began the proceedings with only ten men, a scenario that forced their TM Fred Maingi to abandon his smart-looking jeans and shirt for the red and white kit. Maingi’s first contribution on the pitch, however, was blatantly surrendering possession to the opposition with one of the faultiest starts you will ever see in the game of football.

Lucky enough, that would be his only contribution on the pitch as he got replaced barely ten minutes into the game by guest player Tobias Odhis. Maingi calmly walked off and dressed before taking his familiar position in the dugout.

The hosts started the match with real purpose perhaps wanting to play according to some script which dictated they score an early goal. They run the visitors ragged early on and their pressure bore dividends quarter way into the match after a well-worked move ended with the ball going past Vivian Akinyi, KSJ custodian. However, the hosts's celebrations were short-lived as a moment of individual brilliance saw Steve Obuya unleash one of his trademark 30-yard drives which found the back of the net in spite of the goalkeeper getting a desperate hand on it.

The game then went into a moment where it was played within yards of either side’s penalty area until at the half hour mark when Eric Opong Ochieng’s good work presented Ayoo with a chance which he couldn’t miss. The midfielder worked his way inside the penalty area leaving his markers for dead before drilling low and into the net. 2-1 to the Journalists and that is how the half ended.

Perhaps riled by the fact that they were trailing in their own backyard, the hosts recharged their ammunition in full throttle after the interval. After a series of sustained pressure, they drew level by breaking KSJ’s offside trap. The tough-tackling Bombers would then take the lead for the first time in the game when Ayoo turned villain after the ball accidentally hit his arm and the referee gave the hosts a penalty which was slotted in to put the game at 3-2 in favor of Bombers.

The game was almost abandoned thereafter following a plethora of bad officiating decisions, the highlight being a wrong offside call against Hamisi who was miles onside. Tempers flared with the referee getting some befitting tongue-lashing especially from Gregory Mulemi who was adorning the captain’s armband.

After so much hoo-ha and hogwash, the game was restarted and it was KSJ who got their feet running fast. Mulemi saw his stunning free-kick kiss the cross bar before Steifmaster scored his second after collecting a neat assist from Mulemi. He unleashed a vengeful belter that went in and left a round mark on the iron sheets behind the goalpost.

As minutes ticked by, it looked like the spoils would be shared, a fair result for either side given how the two teams had cancelled each other. However, the hosts took the lead again through a long strike that must have shaved off some hair off the head of Mulemi who deflected the ball past Vivian in goal. In all fairness, that was a goal worth winning any game.

With the scores at 4-3 in favor of Bombers, KSJ trooped forward in search of at least an equalizer and they thought they had gotten it when Ayoo was released by Mulemi for the umpteenth time but he saw his shot painfully cannon off the post. KSJ created three more chances, first Obuya forcing a good save from the opposition keeper before they were denied from what looked like a goal but which needed goal-line technology. The Scribes last effort on goal was an audacious 30-yard effort from Ayoo which was easily smothered by the opposition glovesman.

It was a great effort in deed from all the team members which included lady Sharon at right back, Kevo and Bob in central defence and Boni Kasembeli at left back.

And That's thesteifmastertake!!

2014 FIFA World Cup Draw: England, Ghana Land Tough Pools

The draw for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil was released on Friday bringing up some mouthwatering clashes. Hosts and five-time champions Brazil landed a fairly easy Group A where they will face Croatia, Cameroon and Mexico who breezed through after beating New Zealand in the intercontinental playoff.

Defending champions, Spain, will take on the Netherlands, who they beat in the final to win the 2010 World Cup as well as CONMEBOL outfit, Chile and Australia in Group B.

A very open Group C will see Colombia make their return to the World Cup since 1998 and they will face Greece, Asian side Japan and Ivory Coast. Group D is one of the toughest groups – perhaps alongside Group G. Uruguay, England and Italy headline the group which also has Costa Rica who qualified from CONCACAF. Two-time champions Uruguay needed a playoff against Jordan to qualify but will be among the favorites to work their way out of the group which has three former World Cup winners.

France, who needed grit to go past Ukraine in the UEFA playoff will start their campaign against Honduras in Port Alegre as the two other group members, Switzerland and Ecuador face off in Brasilia.

Group F features Nigeria and Argentina who will meet for the second time in the Group stages level after being drawn together in the 2002 FIFA World Cup which the South Americans won 1-0 courtesy of a 63^rd minute Gabriel Batistuta goal. The two teams will be favorites to advance from the group which also has debutants Bosnia-Herzegovina and Iran who are ranked 45^th in the world.

Cristiano Ronaldo will once again be Portugal’s key man as they try to advance from a tough Group G which also has three-time champions Germany. The Real Madrid forward singlehandedly delivered the 2014 World Cup qualification spot to the Portuguese after netting a breathtaking hat-trick that locked out Zlatan Ibrahimovic-led Sweden out of next year’s showpiece. Africa will once again be looking at Ghana to deliver a performance akin to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa where they reached the quarter-finals before losing out to Uruguay thanks in part to Luis Suarez’s infamous handball incident. However, it will need some performance to advance from Group G which has 1930 second runners up United States as the fourth member.

Belgium will be favorites to top Group H. The Western Europe side last made their appearance at the World Cup in 2002 before their golden generation which includes the likes of Eden Hazard, Romelo Lukaku, goalkeepers Simon Mignolet and Thibaut Courtois, Marouane Fellaini, Christian Benteke, Mousa Dembele and Axel Witsel among others secured them qualification. Other group members include Fabio Capello’s Russia, North Africans Algeria and South Korea.

The 2014 FIFA World Cup  will kick off in Brazil in June 12th where the hosts will take on Croatia in the opening match in Sao Paulo.

And That's thesteifmastertake!!

2013 Stanchart Nairobi Marathon Raises Kshs 23 Million

The 2013 edition of the annual Standard Chartered Nairobi Marathon raised Kshs 23 million, an increase from the Kshs 21 million realised last year.

The marathon, whose overall winners were Kenneth Mung’ara and Winfridah Kwamboka in the men’s and women’s 42 km respectively, attracted 21,000 people.

The proceeds raised came from both individual and corporate participants’ registration fees as well as cash donations. The funds raised at this year’s marathon will go towards supporting the Kenya chapter of the Seeing is Believing East Africa Child Eye Health project. 

Speaking at the cheque handover ceremony, Standard Chartered Bank Chief Executive, Richard Etemesi said that this year’s marathon was even more successful than previous years despite the concerns around safety and security.

Etemesi said that “Seeing is Believing” was greatly boosted last year when the Bank committed to a further US$5 million towards child eye care in East Africa, covering Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. 

The Seeing is Believing East Africa programme which aims to improve child health and reduce avoidable blindness among children in the region will indirectly benefit over 45 million children, the total estimated population of children in East Africa.

“In Kenya, through the Nairobi Marathon, to date we have raised over one million dollars. Through this initiative, we gave helped restore sight to over 5,000 children in Kenya through the hospitals as well as purchased state-of-the-art equipment for the beneficiary hospitals; constructed and refurbished eye care health facilities; provided training for eye care medical personnel to increase their capacity and improve delivery of services,” said Etemesi.

In October, during this year’s World Sight Day, Standard Chartered Group announced that it will donate USD20 million over the next five years to the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust. The money will go towards funding eye care projects in Africa and India.

In Africa, these funds will be used to support a blinding trachoma programme across five African countries i.e. Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Uganda, and Nigeria. The programme will reach an estimated 3.6 million people in Kenya. Trachoma is the second leading cause of avoidable blindness in Kenya, with an estimated 7 million people at risk.

Next year’s marathon will be held on 26th October.

And That's thesteifmastertake!!