NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 21 — The inaugural Abbas Khalif Super Cup concluded on Saturday with South C Rangers crowned champions and rewarded with a 33-seater bus after a narrow 1–0 victory over State City in the final.
The tightly contested match, played at the Ulinzi Sports Complex on December 20, attracted thousands of Langata residents.
The decisive moment came in the 58th minute when South C Rangers forward Ali Maleche capitalised on a defensive lapse, controlling a cross with his chest before firing a composed finish into the far corner.
The tournament, which kicked off on November 10, 2025, featured 40 teams drawn from five wards.
Each team received Sh50,000 in facilitation fees and a full set of jerseys, a move organisers said was aimed at promoting professionalism and motivating participation.
Despite sustained pressure from State City in search of an equaliser, missed chances proved costly.
South C Rangers also passed up opportunities to extend their lead, squandering two clear openings late in the game.
As champions, South C Rangers received a 33-seater Isuzu minibus, while runners-up State City were awarded a 14-seater matatu.
Kuwinda claimed third place after a 3–0 win over Akiba in the playoff, earning a similar 14-seater vehicle.
Tournament organisers said discussions are ongoing within teams on whether to retain the vehicles for logistics, particularly for local league travel, or sell them and share the proceeds among players and officials.
Individual honours were also handed out.
South C Rangers goalkeeper Kevin Masongo was named Goalkeeper of the Tournament after keeping five clean sheets.
Maleche, the final’s match-winner, was crowned Most Valuable Player, while John Wambua of Kuwinda finished as the Golden Boot winner with seven goals.
The Abbas Khalif Super Cup was organised in memory of the late Raila Amollo Odinga and aimed at nurturing grassroots football while fostering unity among youth in Langata.
Speaking at the closing ceremony, tournament patron Abbas Khalif, who has expressed interest in contesting the Langata parliamentary seat in 2027, said the competition was designed to empower young people.
“We are here to uplift their lives. We will walk with them,” he said.
By Bruhan Makong
