A section of the best 16 players selected from the girls team to participate in the provincial Copa Coca Cola competition to be held later next month. [PHOTO|Leonard Wamalwa|West Fm]

The Copa Coca Cola tournament held every year across the country to promote talents of young and upcoming soccer players was held at the County level in Trans Nzoia where the best 16 players were selected to participate in the provincial championship later next month.

During the tournament that was held at St Antony’s Boys High school in Kitale, sixteen players were selected from the participating teams in the boys and girls category.

According to the company’s Western region sales manager Joel Kibowen the tournament is aimed at promoting talents of youth who would otherwise never be noticed hence the company exposes such talents through the tournament.

A Trans Nzoia West player wins the ball from his fallen opponent from Kwanza. 

The company sponsors virtually everything involved in facilitating the matches, accommodation and other expenses to make it a success.

In Sunday’s matches Trans Nzoia East boys’ team beat Trans Nzoia West 1-0, while Kwanza drew with Trans Nzoia West 1-1. In the girls category Trans Nzoia East thrashed Kwanza 10-0 in an entertaining match.

Elsewhere in the ongoing secondary schools soccer games in the area, st Antony’s Boys beat Matisi secondary 5-0 to emerge the winners of soccer in the central zone of Trans Nzoia West District held at Manor House high school.

Nyanza Results

Hosts Kisumu Girls ran rampant last weekend as they thrashed Bondo Girls 13-0 in the COPA Coca-Cola Kisumu sub-branch matches played at Kisumu Polytechnic on Sunday.

Veronicah Akinyi(Left) of Kisumu Girls dribbles past Linet Akinyi (right) at the COPA Coca-Cola matches at Kisumu Polytechnic on Sunday

Jacinta Atieno opened the floodgates for Kisumu with just three minutes on the clock and by the quarter hour mark; it was already 5-0 with Rose “Macheda” Atieno hitting a brace and Melvin Awuor and Jacinta adding the other two.

The three kept Bondo Girls’ on the back foot from the onset, terrorizing their defence with Rose making mazy runs down the left channel as Melvin impressed on the opposite flank. Jacinta scored two more to make it a quartet of goals for her and Rose finished her hat-trick with a delicate chip for an 8-0 lead at half time.

A brace each from Lavenda Munari and Anne Dola plus one more from the skillful Rose ended the rout. Kisumu found the going a little tougher in their second match against Nyando but they still ran out 2-0 winners. In other matches, Siaya were also in scoring mood with a 5-0 mauling of Bondo but they needed Mercy Atieno’s solitary first half goal to edge out Nyando 1-0 in their second encounter.

In the boys’ matches, Nyando Boys were a class above the rest as they won both their matches with a four-goal margin. Eugene Ogaso scored a hat-trick and Geofrey Alwala added another as they beat Kisumu Day 4-2 in the first match. Idi Ramah scored both goals for Kisumu. In their second match, Nyando mauled Bondo 4-1 as Kisumu Day bounced back from their defeat with a clinical 2-0 win over Siaya who made the long trip back to their county a disappointed lot after losing the second match 2-1 to Bondo.

In Migori inter-branch matches, local boys Migori finished top of the table after winning their first match 2-1 against Kuria boys before they were held 1-1 by Homa Bay Boys. The latter, finished runners-up with another 1-1 stalemate against Kuria.

Kuria Girls surprised everyone but themselves as they hit both Migori and Homa Bay Girls with an identical 2-0 win.

Migori Girls outshone Homa Bay 2-0 to clinch the second position.

With the inter-sub-branch matches complete in most sub-branches across the country, the 16 players selected from each sub-branch by COPA scouts are now bracing themselves for the inter-branch finals that have began in earnest.