Action at the Eastern Regional final of the Chapa Dimba na Safaricom tournament
MACHAKOS, Kenya, Feb 8 – Isiolo Starlets will face Chuka University while Black Panthers will take on Tumaini in the girls and boys final of the Chapa Dimba na Safaricom Eastern Region finals on Sunday afternoon at the Kenyatta Stadium in Machakos.
Isiolo progressed to the girls’ final after thrashing Mabuu Queens 8-0 in the first semi of the day while Chuka University had to dig deep before seeing off season one winners Ngakaa Talents 2-1 in the second semi of the day.
In the boys’ category, Tumaini were no match from Moyale’s Biashara FC as they hammered them 7-0 to set up a date against Black Panthers who progressed on post match penalties after a toughly contested 3-3 draw in regular time wit St. Daniel’s.
Isiolo were first on the Kenyatta Stadium pitch and it took them 24 minutes to get their party started when Nasibo Wario broke the deadlock.
Shortly after, the floodgates opened when Nasibo Ibrahim followed her namesake’s path in netting the second just three minutes later before Kula Dida stretched the lead to 3-0 10 minutes later.
Ibrahim then added her second of the morning three minutes to the break as the girls from Isiolo went to the breather tails up at 4-0.
They didn’t stop there and in the second half picked up the tempo on the same beat, Guyatu Halaike making it 5-0 in the 57th minute before Wario also joined the brace squad with a second in the 61st minute to make it 6-0.
The doubles of the day were not done yet as Halima Tadicha also notched her own brace within a space of four minutes, making it 7-0 in the 79th before crowning the day with another just seven minutes to the final whistle.
It wasn’t so smooth sailing for Chuka though in the second girls’ semi as they had to come from down to beat Ngakaa Talents and derail their dream of clinching their second Chapa Dimba title.
Action at the Eastern Regional final of the Chapa Dimba na Safaricom tournament
Samantha Adhiambo gave the former champions a dream start with a goal nine minutes from halftime and they looked well on course to sail to the finale.
But, they couldn’t withstand second half pressure from Chuka in the second half with Susan Wanjeri drawing her side level just four minutes after the restart.
The contest grew to enormous levels in the ensuing minutes and when it seemed that the game was headed for a tie, Wanjeri popped up once again five minutes to full time, notching the winner and sending her team to the final.
Meanwhile, Tumaini picked a leaf from Isiolo’s opening performance of the day to make light work of Biashara, who couldn’t just take care of their defending business as they shipped in seven goals.
Yasin Mohamed was the chief destroyer for Tumaini, scoring a tournament high four goals to aid his side pick the massive victory. He broke the deadlock in the 10th minute before Moses Kinama struck at the stroke of halftime to give his side a 2-0 buffer at the break.
Moris Kapirante then made in a third with eight minutes chalked off in the second half to make it 3-0. Biashara looked certain to challenge as they gave in a fight with Mustapha Abdirahman scoring on the hour mark.
But, that couldn’t go on for long as Mohamed completed his hatrick with a quick double in the 81st and 84th minute to sink Biashara’s minute hopes. Two minutes later, Kapirante scored his second and it seemed all going south for Biashara with Mohamed adding his fourth of the afternoon in the 89th minute.
The second semi was however a complete contrast of the first, as St. Daniel’s and Black Panther totally had a go at each other. A 3-3 draw in regulation time forced the game to penalties and Panthers ultimately stung the saints to win 7-6.
Jared Owili and Milton Lesuda gave St. Daniel’s a healthy 2-0 lead after 25 minutes, but complacency at the back cost them as they saw that lead wiped away within two minutes. Denis Murithi halved the deficit in the 37th minute and within a minute of him scoring, Preston Mwenda had drawn parity.
The Saints took the lead again in the 67th minute with Owili striking his second, but the hard working Panthers grabbed the equalizer with seven minutes left on the clock, Mwenda adding his second of the day.
