Super Solico, Ndovea are Chapa Dimba Eastern champions

Mwingi-based Super Solico and St Mary’s Ndovea from Makueni are the Chapa Dimba na Safaricom Eastern region champions in the boys and girls’ category respectively.

Super Solico saw off a hard-fighting Isiolo Youngsters 4-3 on post-match penalties after battling to a 1-1 draw in regulation time in the boys’ final played at Kitui showground.

St Mary’s Ndovea had earlier defeated Chuka Starlets from Meru 2-1 in the girls’ final played at the same venue.

The champions took home Sh200,000 each and the runners up Sh100,000 courtesy of sponsors Safaricom in partnership with Spain-based La Liga.

Aside from the cash prize, each player from the winning team was handed a mobile phone worth Sh10,000 and Sh2,000 airtime, plus gold medals. The runners up received Sh6,000 worth phones and Sh1,000 airtime plus the silver medals.

Super Solico, who play in the Football Kenya Federation National division two league Zone B, had eliminated Moyale’s Samba Boys 3-2 in the semi final on Saturday and produced the best goalkeeper in Robert Ngusya, who walked home with Sh30,000.

“I thank Safaricom for this initiative because it’s exposing grassroots players, we want to win the national title by preparing superbly for it so that come June, no team will stop us in Meru,” said Ngusya.

Isiolo Youngsters’ Ebrahim Abdisalan pocketed Sh60,000 for emerging the best player and top scorer.

In the girls’ category, Daisy Chirchir of St Mary’s Ndovea won the golden boot, Chuka Starlets’ Nancy Jepkemboi best goalkeeper, while Nuru Hensley of St. Mary’s Ndovea the best player each taking Sh30,000 home.

A total of 16 boys and girls will be selected from this second edition for a one-week camp in Spain courtesy of La Liga after the national finals scheduled for Meru in June.

The overall winner in the June showpiece will bag Sh1 million in prize money.