Kenya rout Gambia in Road to Anfield tie

By ERICK OCHIENG’ in LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND

Team Kenya commenced their campaign on a high note thrashing Gambia 7-1 in pool A of the 2014 Road To Anfield Trophy 5-a-side football tournament at Liverpool FC Anfield ground.

Zambia were the first to find the back of the net just in a minute of play but the Kenyans stepped up their game to net the seven goals through Rodgers Eshitemi (hat-trick), Erick Ochieng’, Morris Ochieng’, Titus Mwoki and Bismarck Mutahi.

But the grudge match of the day was Kenya’s fixture against Nigeria that the organisers were glad ended in a 1-1 draw.

“This was a very tough match and its magnitude was eminent, we are glad that both countries shared the points,” said former Liverpool marksman John Barnes, who was among the legends overseeing the tournament.

In the third fixture, Kenya came from behind to give the United Arab Emirates (UAE) a hell of a time to lead 3-1 before the opponents levelled the scores in the dying minutes.

Kenya managed to halt Korea’s marauding ways in their fourth match by taking an early 1-0 lead, but  the Koreans equalised at the whistle.

In the last two games, Kenya went down 3-0 to Singapore and 2-1 to Thailand. Even though Kenya missed a semifinal slot by a whisker it was great that the country made a top five finish, which was a medal bracket.

Team captain  Mutahi said: “It was a learning experience for us, we interacted with many players from different parts of the world and learnt many new things.”

The tournament was won by Vietnam who edged favourites Singapore 1-0 in a nervy encounter. Apart from the tournament the teams also toured the Liverpool FC stadium and Liverpool city.

 Liverpool Partnership Event Manager Nicola Myers and Alexandra Simpson, Partnership Event Co-ordinator, said the global tournament lived to its billing and that they will make it bigger and better next year.