Murhanda Teams Show their Might in Western as they Book National Finals Slot

The Under-15 COPA Coca-Cola Western provincial finals played at Kakamega High School this past weekend had all the thrill and fun as expected but saw no team upset the form book as favorites Murhanda Boys and Girls cruised to victory to lift the region’s provincial title.

While the Murhanda girls’ team were more emphatic and assured with their performance which saw them win all their matches, the boys’ team only just squeezed in thanks to a superior goal difference.

The first match of the day saw Northwestern branch teams, Kaptama boys lock horns against would-be runners-up Maraka Pefa in the wee hours of the morning. The two teams traded punches in equal measure until the 7^th minute when Caleb Kones put Kaptama ahead with a neat finish from a counterattack.

Maraka leveled within two minutes through their unplayable No.9 Kevin Shikami who would then score his second and turn provider for his team’s 3^rd before the interval. Kones pulled one back for his team just after the restart but Mohammmed Baraka restored his team’s 2-goal advantage almost immediately.

The rest of the half turned out to be Shikami’s show as he completed his hat-trick before hitting a devastating free-kick that stung the palms of Kaptama custodian Willly Kiptanui and kept him out for the rest of the action. Limo Kones scored a late goal to reduce the scoreline to 6-4.

Murhanda Boys beat Bolimbo Academy 4-1 in the second encounter, Hilton Asutsa netting a brace either side of Brian Lumasukha and Alphonic Memi’s goals as Musa Wang’ona scored the consolation goal for the highly supported Bolimbo. Asutsa and Lumasukha were also on target for Murhanda in their 3-2 win over Kaptama

Bolimbo cruised to a 3-2 win over Maraka but were sent crashing out by Kaptama who hit them for six after coming from a goal down, Caleb Kones and his brother Limo netting a brace each, Michael Kipkorir and Donald Kemei adding to the score-line.

The last match of the day between Murhanda and Maraka Pefa ended in a 2-1 win for the latter.

Ann Ngato was on target for Murhanda Girls in their 1-0 win over Ibinda Girls who revenged the defeat on Nzoia Girls hitting them 3-0, Ruth Omrunga with a brace to add to Marion Analo’s opener. Michele Indochi hit a sublime hat-trick after Lavender Lihemo’s brace to help Murhanda whitewash Amukhura 6-0.

The Murhanda duo not only won the provincial title which guarantees them a slot in the nationals but also went home with a cash price of Kshs. 50,000. The second placed teams in both boys and girls, Kaptama Boys and Ibinda were rewarded with Kshs. 30,000 and a full kit while 3^rd placed Kaptama boys and Nzoia Girls left with Kshs. 20,000 and a kit. Bolimbo and Amukhura who finished last in the boys’ and girls’ categories didn’t leave empty handed as they were rewarded with a full kit and a ball.

The last edition of the COPA provincial finals is slated for Kisii this coming weekend. Besides the Western duo, other teams who have qualified for the mid-August nationals are JMj Academy (boys), Beijing Girls and Otto Benecker (girls) from Nairobi, Coast’s Malindi United Academy and Kaloleni Queens, Rift Valley’s Gunners FC and Kapsowar Girls and Black Cats and Maragwa Queens from Central.

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Murhanda Duo Favorites for Western COPA Coca-Cola Provincials Crown

Murhanda Boys and their ladies’ team, Murhanda Girls, are odds-on favorites to lift the COPA Coca-Cola Western provincial finals title as the fight for national championships heads to the western region on Sunday at Kakamega High School.

The duo who topped the standings during the Western branch group stage matches are in a fine run of form after both recorded victories in their previous two assignments and will be aiming at the top price when the provincial finals enter its penultimate leg.

The first match will pit Murhanda Boys against their Western branch rivals Bulimbo Academy before Maraka and Kaptama Boys square it off in a Northwestern derby. The latter will take on Murhanda in the third fixture as Maraka aim for an upset against Bulimbo.

In the girls’ fixtures, bookmakers’ favorites Murhanda Ladies will clash against group rivals Ibinda in the first fixture. The last encounter between the two teams ended in a 0-0 stalemate. Nzoia Girls will take on branch nemesis Amukura Girls before the latter clashes with Ibinda Ladies and the former meet Murhanda.

The matches will be played in a round-robin format with the team garnering the most number of points in both the boys’ and ladies’ categories qualifying for the Nairobi national finals.

Coast, Rift Valley, Eastern, Central and Nairobi have all produced their teams for the national finals. The last leg of the provincials will be played next weekend in Nyanza region.

This year’s winners will not only get a cash price of Kshs. 500,000 but will also travel to South Africa for an international boot camp where they will get firsthand training from coaches from Chelsea FC foundation coaches.

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Heartbreak for Makadara Juniors as they Bow Out to JMJ at COPA Provincials

They had gone unbeaten for 7 matches, scored 14 goals and conceded only one in process, an impressive run that saw them face a team boasting of almost the same record in the decider.

Makadara Juniors have been by far one of the best teams to grace the 2013 edition of the COPA Coca-Cola Under-15 tournament. Little wonder then that many fans were left heartbroken when they lost out to JMJ in the Nairobi provincial finals decider thanks to a first half strike by Musa Masika for JMJ.

Their impressive run saw them win all their group matches to top the Nairobi East branch league. In the provincial finals, they beat Indomitable Dandora 2-0 courtesy of skilful striker Tyron Xavier and Solomon Mbiti while JMJ shared a barren draw with Vapour for the umpteenth time.

Casey Odhiambo was on target for the Juniors in their second match which they won 1-0 against Vapour while JMJ beat Indomitable with the same scoreline, Biron Otieno with the strike.

The winner-takes-all clash between JMJ and Makadara was water tight as expected. Both teams had their moments but the battle was more on the midfield leaving strikers with little to feed on until Masika struck the game’s only goal that sent his team to the mid-August nationals for the second time in three years.

The girls’ honours went to Beijing Girls and Otto Benecker. Beijing won all their matche,s 2-0 against St. Anne’s, 3-0 against Uweza Queens and 1-0 against Otto Benecker who just about qualified due to absence of a team from North Eastern region.

Meanwhile Humphrey Mwangi and John Luchenga scored a goal each either side of Eric Kipkurui’s brace to help the Gunners cruise past Rangers FC 4-0 as they took the Rift Valley national finals berth while Kapsowar’s Philaries Kaino scored the only goal to help her team beat Nyasita Girls 1-0, a result good enough to see them qualify for the national championships.

JMJ, Beijing Girls, and Otto Benecker from Nairobi as well as Gunners and Kapsowar from Rift Valley have joined Malindi United Academy and Kaloleni Queens from Coast into the national championships. Other teams that have qualified are Maragwa Queens and Black Cats from Central region.

The final leg of the provincial finals is slated for this coming weekend in Kakamega and Kisii where the Western and Nyanza provincial finals will be taking place.

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