Kenyan brothers Victor Wanyama and McDonald Mariga make UEFA Champions League history and Kenyans on Twitter can’t help but brag.
The controversial K.O.T is boasting of an all Kenyan final on the 1st of June 2019 in Madrid, Spain with Spurs’ Wanyama and Liverpool’s Origi who has Kenyan roots, who are both playing in the finals for the very first time. This included the brothers’ Netball playing sister Cynthia Wanyama and even Deputy President William Ruto. Making the #UCLFinal and Wanyama top trending topics on Twitter in Kenya.
Congratulations to @VictorWanyama and Divock Origi for playing starring roles for @SpursOfficial and @LFC respectively in a successful @ChampionsLeague campaign. #UCLfinal
— William Samoei Ruto, PhD (@WilliamsRuto) May 9, 2019
Harambee Stars Captain Victor Wanyama is poised to making a landmark moment in his football career as he looks to become only the second Kenyan to play in the prestigious UEFA Champions League final after his elder brother McDonald Mariga.
This is after his English Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur did the impossible to edge out favourites Ajax on away goal rule after a 3-3 aggregate score to reach a first UEFA Champions League final.
Mariga became the 1st Kenyan to play & win the the champions league trophy with Inter Milan 16/3/2010 which coincidentally was also played in Madrid .Wanyama will become the 2nd Kenyan to play in the Finals on 1/06/2019 in Madrid. pic.twitter.com/DZ8AWlYpls
— 🇰🇪Cynthia Wanyama🇰🇪 (@CYNTHIA_WANYAMA) May 8, 2019
Spurs headed to Amsterdam needing to overturn a 1-0 first leg defeat and in the first half as they were trailing 2-0, Wanyama pulled a knock that saw him substituted in the second half that saw the Mauricio Pochettino side return a re-energised side to overturn tables.
Brazilian Lucas Moura was the hero of the night as he hit a hat-trick including a last gasp goal to send Spurs fans into raptures. All that Wanyama who joined injured Harry Kane on the stands could do is to limp into the pitch with joy written all over his face.
ALL-KENYA FINAL! There you have it. N 2nd title for Wanyama family after McDonald Mariga with Inter in 2010. To our East African neighbours, they think we are talkin’ ‘Greek’. @VictorWanyama @MikeSonko @CYNTHIA_WANYAMA @moscakenya @CheGiaevara @SimbaSCTanzania @BinzubeirySport pic.twitter.com/y3JkMXnZcD
— Voice of Sport (@vos_africa) May 8, 2019
Mariga, made history in 2010 when he became the first Kenyan ever to have won a UEFA Champions League when he was featuring for Inter Milan, entering the field as a late substitute against Chelsea, with Inter under the tutelage of Jose Mourinho winning 1-0.
For Wanyama, who became the first Kenyan to score in the UEFA Champions League when he scored past Helsingborgs to reach the group stages in 2012, will be a final eagerly waiting for as he will be looking to face Belgian Divock Origi who has Kenyan roots, as he inspired his Liverpool side to the final with an astonishing comeback over Barcelona.
Which ‘Kenyan’ are you rooting for in the UEFA Champions League finals? Wanyama or Origi?
This article was first posted on Capital Sport.
