Barding SHOCK Bukembe: Rude welcome for debutants, Nyakach Girls cruise in opener

Bukembe High School's football Victor Omondi controls the ball under pressure from Barding Secondary School Dennis Oduor during Secondary School Games match at Kenyatta Stadium, Kisumu on August 2, 2016.[PHOTO:DENNIS OKEYO/STANDARD]

Debutants Friends School Bukembe of Nzoia Region were handed a rude welcome to the Airtel Rising Stars Term 2B School Games (ARS) suffering a 2-0 whipping at the hands of Lake Region’s Barding as secondary school games got underway yesterday in Kisumu. In the girls’ contest, another home side, Nyakach Girls, hammered their guests from Highlands Kirigara 4-0.

Favourites Kathungi of Highlands were also off to a flying start as they thumped first-timers Cheptenye of Mau Region 2-0 to increase their chances of winning their maiden national crown. However, 2013 national girls champions Olympic Mixed of Metropolitan were not as lucky as they suffered a humiliating 2-0 defeat to Nginda of Aberdare.

Barding, under pressure to impress the home crowd, controlled the game scoring in both halves to earn maximum points. Team coach George Owoko told FeverPitch their objective is to ensure the trophy remains home.

“Our aim is to win the trophy and make Lake Region proud. We are handling every match as a final because competition is very tough and even though we won today, the victory did come easy because my boys were made to work hard for it,” Owoko said.

He added that going into the second match, they will correct the mistakes made in their opening match to seal their semis’ slot. Barding began the match on the offensive, with Ziko Kombo and Clement Okring tormenting Bukembe defence and goalkeeper in an intense hunt for an early lead.

Bukembe players seemed to have settled well in the game, playing defensively to keep Barding’s goal-hungry forwards at bay. However, a lapse in defence saw Kombo send a superb shot to the back of the net to break the deadlock by the quarter-hour mark. The goal awakened Bukembe, who charged forward in search of an equaliser but their efforts were thwarted by a vigilant Barding defence and goalkeeper John Otieno.

Both sides lost chances in both halves but it was Barding’s Benjamin Ojiambo who finally got it right in extra time to give his side a deserving conquest. In the boys second pool A match, Kathungi were the better side in most aspects of the game but failed in goal scoring.

They took an early lead in the 12th minute but that was the best they could for the better part of the match, despite creating many clear chances. Hamisi ‘Neymar’ Salim scored their second by the hour mark through a penalty.

Nyakach were in a class off their own as Mercy Odunga and Iddah Odinga scored in the first. Their third goal came courtesy of Kirigara’s Deborah Njatijini’s own goal, while Cynthia Akinyi scored their fourth. Rachael Mwema’s and Faith Evayo’s goals were enough to sink Olympic and give Nginda victory.