A new secondary schools soccer champion will be crowned this Saturday when the 2013 title holders Upper Hill take on returning 2012 champions St Anthony’s Boys high school after the two qualified for the finals yesterday.
The Rift Valley regional champions St Anthony’s eliminated defending champions Laiser Hill in the regionals on their way to booking a finals appearance.
Playing against 2013 finalists Kathungi Boys from Eastern in the semis, the side won 1-0 in regular play after goal poacher Silas Ogana broke Kathungi’s tight defence to find the back of the net in the 88th minute.
Nairobi region’s football powerhouse Upper Hill denied record title holders in the boys’ category Kakamega School a chance to feature in the finals after a two years absence when they defeated the side 5-3 on penalties after playing to a goalless draw in regular time.
The two sides engaged in a breathtaking encounter that saw Green Commandos dominate play but failed to convert that into goals missing open chances on several instances while their goalkeeper Job Ochieng proved hard to beat for the city boys.
However, the match went Upper Hill’s way when the side’s shot stopper Duncan Okinyi made two superb saves when the decision of the match came down to penalties.
Meanwhile, a brace for Wiyeta’s ace Gentrix Shikangwa in the first ten minutes of their semifinal match against Central’s Jabini propelled her side to the finals in the girls’ category after the latter tried to equalise in vain for the remaining minutes of the encounter.
The Harambee Starlets U20 player stunned the opponent when she found the back of the net on the sixth and ninth minutes of the match throwing them in frenzy and they mounted a fruitless comeback.
The Rift Valley side was dethroned last year after losing to Coast’s St Johns Kaloleni but coach Wafula Awoh is confident of a win today. They will be up against Western’s Ibinzo who qualified for the fete after using their underdog tag to their advantage to beat 2015 runners up Kobala 2-0 despite the latter having qualified for the semis placed first in their pool.
Cynthia Shilwatso and Mary Ayeta scored for the side to seal their maiden secondary school games finals appearance and a meet with record title holders Wiyeta who will be gunning for a seventh title.
