Clash of the titans: Kakamega High School face St Anthony’s as national games enter crucial stages

[PHOTO: COURTESY]

Sports fans attending the secondary schools national Term Two B at Moi Nyeri Complex Primary School should expect riveting action today as the semi-finals are played.

In boys’ football, 12-time champions Kakamega face former champions Upper Hill, while St Anthony’s, four-time winners, clash with 2013 finalists Kathungi.

For football enthusiasts, there could not have been better fixtures.

Once again, fans have every reason to rub their hands in glee. Kakamega’s Green Commandos have been entertaining them with some awesome football. Granted, they might not possess the deftness of your world-class players, but when their midfielders complete a string of uninterrupted passes, jubilation fills the air.

Kakamega’s defenders have remained stoic in their business, while their strikers have stood up to be counted.

That is why they remain unbeaten after three rounds of matches as they chase their unprecedented 13th title.

But looking at their opponents Upper Hill, they have great opposition awaiting them.

The Nairobi Region representatives last won the national title in 2013 and for the next three years, they could not go past the regionals. Tough times.

Any Upper Hill player will want to call on the gods of 2012, when these two sides last met. Incidentally, it was in the semifinal and Upper Hill won 1-0.

But that was then and Kakamega coach Brendan Mwinamo said they expect a tough match.

“Stakes are high ahead of this match because its is the knockout stage. We have both worked very hard to reach the semis and we expect a tough match,” Mwinamo said.

“We remain confident that we will go all the way and play in tomorrow’s final.”

Green Commandos will rely on the industrious trio of forwards James Mazembe, Henry Juma and Ronald Sichenje. Juma scored a brace against Kathungi to lead the scorer’s chart with eight goals from three matches.

Oozing confidence, Upper Hill coach Joseph Makokha said they are the side that will stop Green Commandos.

“We beat them in 2012 in Mombasa and we have the squad to do it again,” Makokha said.

In the second semi, St Anthony’s will seek to complete a double to overcome the in form Kathungi.

St Anthony’s won 4-2 in their only previous meeting in 2015.

Meanwhile, there will be no love lost when old foes Malava and Cheptil meet today in boys’ volleyball semifinals.

The secondary schools national Term Two B games have entered the penultimate stage at Moi Nyeri Complex Primary School and Malava, who are also the East Africa champions, will be on a mission to avenge their loss to Cheptil last year.