Kenya U17 Narrowly Miss Podium Finish as Nyakha Joins Sadam in All-Star Team

Kenya keeper Edwin Mukolwe makes a save against Malawi

Kenya’s COPA Coca-Cola U17 team narrowly missed out on the medals after finishing fourth as curtains came down on the 2012 COPA inter-country international camp tournament at St. Alban’s College in Pretoria, South Africa.

Kenya collected three points on the final day of the tournament after easing past Central East and West Africa (CEWA) team by a solitary goal from Mohamed “Kafupi” Said.

Kenya was among three other teams that finished on 11 points, the other two being CEWA and Mozambique. Zambia’s Chipolopolo stars lifted the trophy after amassing 16 points, two ahead of runners-up Tanzania and a further four ahead of third-placed Malawi who finished on 12 Points.

“This was a great team effort. The players gave their all in this tournament and you could see they all worked their socks off in all the matches,” said Coach Arthur Apiyo who promised there’s more to come.

Kenya narrowly lost three matches against Zimbabwe, Malawi and Mozambique by a solitary goal. Had they converted some clear-cut opportunities, the boys could have won the tournament as they had earlier promised.

“We had a good win against a very strong Tanzanian team, we easily beat Uganda and CEWA, both very good teams. We came close to beating champions Zambia as well as Nigeria. We never gave ourselves an excuse for not performing well,” said Arthur.

Uganda finished third from bottom with 10 points, two ahead of Nigeria who finished with 8. Zimbabwe finished rock bottom with 7 points.

“We tried our level best but luck was not on our side. But I know the future is bright for this team because there’s definitely talent amongst us as well as the fighting spirit,” noted goalkeeper Edwin Mukolwe.

His competitor for the position between the posts Stephen Ogweno had kind words for the coach. “We were 16 players and the coach gave us all a chance to shine by consistently rotating the team but we all gelled nevertheless,” said Ogweno who was between the posts for the games against Malawi and CEWA.

The Kenyan team will travel back on Saturday.

Meanwhile two players from Kenya will feature for the COPA All-Star. Captain Haron Nyakha who plays the defensive midfield position and central defender Sadam Abdulahi were named in the All-Star team. “We are thankful to the team because we couldn’t have made it here were it not for the team effort,” said Nyakha who is a student at Kakamega High School.

“They have stood out amongst us and we will be supporting them all the way,” said Alfred Wekesa who scored one of the best goals of the tournament.

The All-Star team will play against Supersport United U19 team on Friday. Talent scouts from the club have been scouting for talent during the tournament and have pinpointed two Kenyan players, Omar Mwinyi and Eugene Moses.

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Garissa-Born Sadam Abdulahi Makes it to the COPA All-Star Team

The team that is representing Kenya at the COPA Coca-Cola U17 international tournament in Pretoria, South Africa has put a spirited fight despite the fact that they travelled to the camp with the players barely knowing each other’s name.

However, from the first day they entered the camp at St. Alban’s college, Coach Arthur Apiyo’s first assignment was to make the players feel at ease with him and amongst themselves. The result has been a one Kenyan team that the organizers of the COPA tournament has lauded as being the most organized and disciplined.

The results on the pitch have been even the more astounding with the Kenya U17 team beating both Uganda and Tanzania convincingly while also pulling off draws against Nigeria and Zambia. All these teams, unlike Kenya, had the merit of having trained together for at least two weeks before heading to the camp.

It’s been a team effort that has seen the team rise from the disappointment of losing 1-0 to Zimbabwe in the opening match to pinning down their opponents with possession-based football. Had they been just a wee bit clinical in front of goal, the Kenyans could have transformed their losses against Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Malawi to a draw, at least.

One of the players who have stood tall in the team is Garissa-born Sadam Abdulahi. The Form 2 student at Garissa High School has been a brick wall in the Kenyan backline. His performance has not only caught the eye of the coach but even his fellow players who unanimously voted for him as Kenya’s player of the tournament.

Sadam will have his chance to shine for the COPA Coca-Cola All-Star team that will be made of the best players from the other 14 countries who are participating in the tournament.

“I’ll take my chance and play the best I know how,” said the soft-spoken Sadam who plays as a central defender. “The exposure has really been brilliant for me, almost surprising but I work hard everyday hoping that doors will open for me,” he added.

Sadam beat off competition from the team’s captain Haron Nyakha who put his all in the defensive midfield position. “He is a good pick, undoubtedly our best player bar none and we will be supporting him all the way,” said the diminutive Nyakha.

Another player who was quick to laud Sadam was speeder winger Geoffrey Alwala. “He is the most improved player in the team, very humble and fights for the team and for the Kenyan name,” he noted.

The COPA Coca-Cola All-Star team will train together on Thursday before taking on Supersport United U19 team on Friday.

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Kenya U17 Win Second East African Derby against Archrivals Uganda but Lose to Mozambique

After crushing Tanzania 3-2 on Monday, the Kenya COPA U17 team pulled off yet another win over an East African neighbor with Uganda being on the receiving end this time.

The teams went into the match eager to protect their egos which has been built over the years. By the end of the final whistle, it was the Kenyans who were celebrating as the dejected Ugandans were left cursing on a day that they lost all their three matches.

Coach Arthur Apiyo who kept the same line-up that drew 0-0 with Zambia’s Chipolopolo had advised his boys to keep the ball on the ground and this seemed to work magic as Uganda were at times put in sixes and sevens. The Cranes played long ball over the Kenyan defence which was guarded by the unplayable Garissa-born Sadam Abdulahi and Chavakali High School defender Christopher Oruchum who played in central defence with Kevin ‘Lule’ Otieno on the right and James Mazembe on the left.

Kenya opted to attack from the wings given the stalwartness of the Ugandan central defence and this paid off just five minutes into the match when Eugene Moses gave a defence-splitting pass from the right into the feet of Geoffrey Alwala who crossed for Castro Mwaura to tap in his and Kenya’s first.

The Kenyan team looked completely different from the one that went down 1-0 to Mozambique earlier in the day and were pressing the Ugandans high on the pitch. The Cranes wouldn’t sit back though and they equalized five minutes later after some wanting defending from the Kenyan side as the half ended 1-1.

Coach Arthur withdrew Castro Mwaura and Ramadhan Abdulmalik for Mohamed Said and Omar Mwinyi and the latter would win Kenya a penalty earlier in the second half after his shot was handled in the box by a Ugandan player. Eugene Moses stepped up and hit it low to the left of the keeper to convert his second penalty in the competition and make it 2-1 for Kenya.

The Cranes huffed and puffed to draw level but the Kenyan team was tight save only for a hair-raising moment in the final minute when goalkeeper Edwin “Chairman” Mukolwe misjudged the flight of the ball which found the feet of a Ugandan player who connected but it flew just inches wide.

Team Kenya now has 8 points after collecting a similar four points on Tuesday. Tanzania is in a good position as they lead the standings with 13 points going into the final day of the matches. The Serengeti Boys also beat Uganda 2-1 with Basili Abdul netting both goals. They then cruised past Central, East and West Africa (CEWA) combined XI 2-0. They would however fall 1-0 to Zambia’s Chipolopolo Stars.

Nigeria and Malawi drew 0-0 before the latter gave Uganda their third defeat of the day with a 2-1 win. Zimbabwe were picked apart by CEWA who scored four goals in the first half before adding two in the second in a 6-0 drubbing.

The tournament comes to an end Wednesday 5^th with Kenya playing CEWA and Malawi in must win matches if they are to have a chance of lifting the trophy.

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