ELDORET, Kenya, Jul 27- Rift Valley’s St. Antony will clash with Western Region’s St. Peters Boys Mumias in the Copa Coca-Cola National Secondary School Ball Games final at the Hill School in Eldoret on Saturday morning.
In the semi-finals played at the Hill School in Eldoret on Friday morning, title favorites St. Antony were in a class of their own beating Riyabu from Nyanza 5-0 while St. Peters needed a late winner to crush the hearts of Upper Hill winning 2-1 in a highly competitive game.
After a barren heavily competitive first half, St. Peters who had gone through the group stage matches unbeaten broke the deadlock through Issa Okumu in the 44th minute.
However, that lead only lasted four minutes as Ethan Rumi equalized for Upper Hill with a shot inside the box after St. Peters failed to clear the lines.
Upper Hill were more motivated after the goal and they camped in the St. Peters half, but their efforts were dealt a massive blow three minutes from time when Okumu added his second with a thunderous shot from the right off a counter.
In the other semi-final, St. Antony made light work of Riyabu. Just seven minutes into the game, they were 1-0 up when Ansar Shamun volleyed them ahead with a brilliant effort, taking in Lyno Otieno’s deep cross one time.
Riyabu’s Evans Onsarigo almost brought his side back on level terms when he tried his luck with a shot from distance, but it proved an easy catch for the keeper.
The Solidarity Boys came close to their second when Dvaid Leon’s bouncing header at the back post off a Daniel Odhiambo corner went inches wide. Shamun should have doubled his tally in the 23rd minute when he came to the end of a sweeping team move, but he was stopped by the keeper.
Five minutes to the break, St. Antony were 2-0 up with a brilliantly taken goal when Kennedy Mwendwa sent in a low hard effort past the keeper after being played through by Issa Lumumba in a brilliant team move by the boys from Kitale.
In the second half, St. Antony continued with their dominance and quarter of an hour in, they were 3-0 up when Shamun completed his brace with a cool finish after running behind the defense to pick up another brilliantly slit through pass.
They completed the job in the final five minutes of the game with substitute Juma Lugogo striking a quick brace.
First, he made the most of a confusion between the keeper and his defense to win the ball inside the box and poke home before finishing calmly inside the box two minutes later after the defense went to sleep again.
In the girls’ final, last year’s losing finalists Wiyeta Girls will play debutants Moi Girls Nangili in the final. Wiyeta beat Waa Girls from Coast 2-0 while Nangili were 2-0 winners over defending champions Olympic from Nairobi.
Wiyeta danger girl Jecinta Karemana scored twice with Bonita Adhiambo adding the third from the spot while Waa’s consolation came through Mwanziri Miraj.
Karemana opened the scoring in the sixth minute when her shot from distance fizzled through the goalkeeper’s legs before she added her second on the quarter hour mark with a scorching shot from the right after a quick counter.
Miraj halved the deficit for Waa after taking advantage of a defensive lapse before Adhiambo took the game to safe distance in the second half converting from the penalty spot.