NAIROBI, Kenya, Nov 23 – The inaugural Patrick Oboya Cup enters the quarterfinal stage with matches scheduled for Thursday and Friday this week.
Prior to the quarterfinals, already qualified Mariakani Christian Center (MCC) FC will face Madaraka FC in Group D’s final preliminary match at the Police Band Ground on Wednesday from 3PM.
Riruta’s Team Ping who won all the group stage matches to top Group A with nine points will be up against South B’s Cheza Sports, who finished second on Group B with six points from three matches, in the first quarterfinal on Thursday from 3PM.
On Friday, 3PM, darling of the crowds MUFYA FC from South B, who topped Group C with seven points from three matches, will face either South C United of MCC FC in the second quarterfinal.
This is dependent on the outcome of the final Group D match pitting Madaraka against MCC FC. Madaraka is at the bottom of the log having lost two matches while MCC is second with four points from the same number of matches.
On Saturday from noon Rongai FC will be up against Derby FC while South C United will face either South B United Sports Academy (SUSA) or MCC FC in the last quarterfinal match.
Oboya, a former Kenyan International, who has featured for Gor Mahia, AFC Leopards, Nairobi City Stars, Tusker FC, Kakamega Homeboys amongst other clubs locally, is impressed with the array of talents at display in the tournament.
“I am now getting into the next phase of my career and my focus is nurturing the next crop of players and it was a no-brainer for me to start from where it all begun for me – South B. We don’t allow Kenyan Premier League and National Super League players in the tournament but despite that, the talent that has emerged from this tournament in the last three weeks is amazing,” Oboya said,
“I want to urge talent scouts and coaches to show up for the quarterfinals and subsequent matches, they will get raw talent and that was the mission – to expose the talent from the grassroots. I hope several players will move to big teams after this tournament,” he added.
The semifinals are set to be played on Sunday at the Police Band Ground in South with final to be played at the same venue on Sunday, December 5.
