Red Bees sting Madioli in Oguso tournament

CHRIS OGUSO TOURNAMENT Mahana Red Bees and Madioli Football Club players battle it out at this years Chris Oguso tournament in Wamusungu Sports Ground in Mahana, Vihiga County.

Red Bees FC retained the Chris Oguso annual football tournament after beating Madioli FC 1-0 in the finals yesterday.

Thousands of locals gathered at Wamusungu Sports Grounds in Mahanga, Vihiga County, on the last day of the two-month long Oguso tournament, one of the grassroots’ football tourney supported by Africa’s leading sports betting company, SportPesa.

Amos Kigadi scored the solitary goal via a spot kick in the 70th minute after he was brought down in the box, thanks to a school boy blunder by Madioli defender.

Veteran referee Davies Omweno immediately awarded the defending champions a penalty and Kigadi did not miss.

The young forward sent the goalkeeper on the opposite direction, throwing the crowd into song and dance.

“We have worked so hard to retain the title and once more God was on our side,” said Kigadi after the final whistle. 

Local sports betting firm SportPesa was the tournament’s main sponsor.

In the last two months, SportPesa has rolled out support to a series of grassroots football tournaments across the country to help identify and nurture talent in places that were hitherto not reached by football stakeholders.

According to Tom Bwana the Activations Projects’ Coordinator at Sport Pesa, their company is collaborating with local sports organisers, football administrators, lovers of the sport and all football stakeholders who share in the vision that football has become so big that it cannot be left for only those in major towns.

“SportPesa and Football Kenya Federation are dovetailed in the vision of qualifying the national team for the World Cup 2022 in Qatar,” said Bwana.

Bwana explained that from Friday last week, SportPesa has been to Siaya County at the official launch of the annual King Jerry Jagoal Tournament, Omogi Cup in Nyamasaria Kisumu County and Chris Oguso Cup in Mahanga Vihiga County.

“It is no longer just a dream. SportPesa has committed itself to walk side by side with the federation to ensure that this dream becomes a reality. The organisation is going into places like Mahanga in Vihiga, Il Polei in Laikipia, Ugunja in Siaya, Seme in Kisumu, Ngecha in Kiambu and many other places to inspire interest in football,” he said.

Former Kenya international George Sunguti led a team of Ex-Harambee Stars’ players in an exhibition match before the finals. Sunguti who also played for AFC Leopards and Gor Mahia described the games as tournament is testament to the need to bring football closer the people. “A number of players and young people spend their holidays wasting themselves in partying at drinking dens yet there is lost of opportunities out here to develop talents and entertain locals,” said Sunguti.