Kisumu Day crash out from school games

Kisumu Day players sit on the turf with disbelief after losing against Dagoretti High School in the National Secondary School Games at the Moi Stadium in Kisumu on July 31, 2019. PHOTO/Timothy Olobulu

KISUMU, Kenya, Jul 31 – Dagoretti High School beat Kisumu Day High School 2-0 to progress to the semi-finals of the Kenya National Secondary School Games, in the process sending the home side packing after they suffered their second successive loss.

Dagoretti moved to six points having beaten Mbooni in their first Group A match yesterday while Kisumu Day will now play for pride in the final match of the pool.

Meanwhile, Vihiga’s Ebwali will need just a point from their final game against Kisumu to progress after picking a point from their 1-1 draw against Mbooni in the other group match played concurrently.

Zablon Kutela’s penalty and Mohamed Hamdi scored the two goals to send Dagoretti, who finished fourth in last year’s championships, through to the last four.

“I am pleased with the win today in such a tough game. We watched them play yesterday and we knew what to do to contain them. We now want to go all the way to the finals and win this title. I know there are tough teams especially St. Anthony’s Kitale but we will do our best,” Dagoretti head coach Joseph Makokha told Capital Sport.

In a tough and tightly contested tie, Kisumu was the better side in the opening half and had the most of scoring chances.

Beevon Odhiambo had the first chance of the game in the 10^th minute but he blasted wide from a good scoring range after a poorly defended corner. Star player Benson Oluoch was heavily marked but had a chance with a freekick which flew straight to the keeper.

Dagoretti High School striker Zablon Kutela celebrates after scoring against Kisumu Day in the National Secondary School Games at the Moi Stadium in Kisumu on July 31, 2019. PHOTO/Timothy Olobulu

Dagoretti’s first chance was in the 22^nd minute when Boniface Mwangemi curled a freekick from the right, but the effort flew just inches over the bar.

In the second half, Dagoretti started stronger and in the first minute, Paul Odhiambo forced the keeper to push his effort onto the upright after a swift turn from distance.

The early pressure bore fruit in the 55^th minute when Laurent James was brought down by Vincent Oluoch inside the box after he burst into the area. Kutela stepped up into the pressure cooker and calmly slotted the penalty home.

Few minutes later, Derrick Omondi should have made it 2-0 when he landed the ball from 12 yards out after a poorly defended corner, but he could not guide the ball home, taking a wild shot over the bar.

Hamdi had an even better chance when he landed a cross in the box but he could not conjure a strong shot with only the keeper to beat.

However, he made amends in the 89^th minute when he beat the offside trap to head the ball over the keeper and thump it home.