Top players feted at Seme Youth Cup

Harambee Starlets international Vivian Corazon (left) Richard Ayah (center) and Seme Super Cup Best Player Vincent Ochieng.[Washington Onyango,Standard]

Young upcoming players featuring for grassroots-based clubs were on Tuesday feted at the Seme-11 football tournament played at Kit Mikayi Primary School in Seme, Kisumu County.

This is after Seme Eleven Stars FC defeated AV Fitness FC from Nairobi 2-0 on post-match penalties after the two sides played out to a 1-1 draw in regular time in the Super Cup final staged at the school’s playing ground.

Seme-11 team consisted of top players selected from grass root football clubs from Seme Constituency who feature in the Kisumu Sub-County and Kisumu County Football League.

Seme 11’s captain Nicholas Jagero of Kit Mikayi Rangers scored to give the hosts the lead in the 56th minute before Ochieng Otieno leveled the scores to take the match to penalties.

During the spot kicks, AV Fitness failed to convert four consecutive kicks as Jagero and Collins Odul of Kombewa FC netted for Seme who lifted the inaugural cup.

Speaking after the win, Seme-11 assistant coach Felix Orwa said he was impressed with how his new start-studded team played in the tournament but called for support for grassroots football.

“The tournament was good for the youth. It is a good way of nurturing talent and promotes great awareness in grass root football level,” said Orwa who is the head coach of Kombewa FC which plays in the sub-county league.

Some of the players from Kombewa FC included Felix Ojode, Erick Kola and Collins Odul.

Talent promoter and organizer Richard Ayah, a resident of the area, said his main goal with the tournament was to not only support but expose the top players from Seme to the nation.

Elijah Vincent Ochieng of AV Fitness was feted with the Best player award together with a cash award.

Ayah, who was accompanied by Harambee Starlets star midfielder Vivian Corazon said he believes there is a lot of talent in Seme.

“We want Kenyan scouts to come to the ground and select our players from the ground because what they ae lacking is exposure. We have Kenyan Premix League quality in the villages and what is lucking is structure. When we have one that can identify these players then we will grow,” said Ayah.

Seme is famous for producing Harambee Stars all-time leading goal scorer Dennis Oliech.