More by this Author
More by this Author
Grassroots football tournament Chapa Dimba Na Safaricom heads to Kericho this weekend for the Rift Valley region finals.
Eight teams will battle it out for top honours at the Green Stadium for the two slots to represent the region in the national finals in June in Mombasa.
In the girls’ competition, fancied Itigo Girls from Nandi North will face Achievers from Kajiado in the first semi-final as former national and East African girls’ football champions Wiyeta Girls from Trans Nzoia tackle Bomet Queens from Bomet.
In the boys’ category, White Rhinos from Transmara will have to go past season one winner Kapenguria Heroes from West Pokot in the first semi-final if they are to make the final.
Former Rift-Valley secondary school champions Laiser Hill from Kajiado will face tough opposition from last season’s losing finalists Tumkas from Uasin Gishu in the other semi-final duel.
The climax of the event will be the National Super League match between AP Bomet and Nairobi City Stars at the same venue after the final on Sunday.
South Rift Football Kenya Federation (FKF) branch chairman David Bunei said the aim of the tournament is to nurture young talents and urged them to exploit the opportunity.
“In the event of a tie at the end of regulation time, the game goes straight to penalties. We expect all the teams and players to maintain discipline throughout the tournament,” said Bunei while welcoming the football fans to come in large numbers and cheer their favourite teams.
Tournament coordinator Patrick Korir says the Rift finals are expected to be tougher and entertaining than last season.
“Everything is in place and the teams are raring to go. We will definitely have stiffer competition bearing in mind we have four teams that are returning to the finals in the region. Kapenguria return after a season in the cold while Tumkas, Itigo and White Rhinos faltered in the finals last season and are eager to make amends this time,” Korir told Nation Sport.
The winners will each pocket Sh200,000 while the runners up will walk away with Sh100,000. The winning teams in each category (boys and girls) will get a chance to represent the region in the national finals.
An all-star team comprising 32 players, both boys and girls, will be selected from the eight regional finals to attend a 10-day training camp in Spain during which they will play friendlies against top Spanish La Liga Football Academies.
The girls final will kick off at 8:30am on Sunday with boys taking on to the field from 10:50am on the same day.
Itigo Girls v Achievers – 9am
Wiyeta v Bomet Queens – 1pm
Tumkas v Laiser Hill – 11am
White Rhino v Kapenguria Heroes - 3pm
