Kisumu Day, Nyakach Girls win 2023 Kisumu County football titles

Kisumu Day players celebrate after winning a past match against Nyakoko.[Washington Onyango,Standard]

Kisumu Day High School and Nyakach Girls High School are the 2023 Kisumu County Secondary School football under-19 champions.

Kisumu Day saw off Onjiko High School 1-0 in a tense final played at Kisumu Boys grounds that attracted thousands of fans on Friday afternoon.

Before the match started, Onjiko and Kisumu Day fans clashed at the touchline where a few blows and kicks were exchanges before matters calmed down with the presence of police.

With matters calmed, Kisumu Day got off to a perfect start after taking a 1-0 lead inside the opening five minutes when Shadrack Mbaraka shot the ball inside an empty net after the Onjiko goalkeeper Ogaro Valdez failed to hold on to a loose ball.

The game however changed from that moment as Onjiko tried to get an equalizer the entire first half with no breakthrough as the Kisumu Day defense stood tall despite being outplayed by the Nyando Sub-County representatives.

Kisumu Day players Celebrate.[Washington Onyango,Standard]

In the final half, Kisumu Day held on to retain the title they have won for the past five years.

In the girl’s football final, Nyakach defended their title after thumping Nyakoko Mixed 5-0 in a one-sided final played at the same grounds.

Aisha Akinyi scored in the opening half as Nyakach took narrow 1-0 half time lead before  Maureen Eseri, Swaum Masungo and Vivian Akinyi completed the job in the final half as they picked a confoirtable 5-0 victory.

Speaking after the win, Nyakach football coach Chrispin Odindo said they want to reclaim their regional title they lost last year in Homa Bay.

“We are back. Last year we were not so lucky but now we are ready. Our target is set at reclaiming the regional trophy we lost to Kobala,” said Odindo.

Nyakach netball coach Loice Okore who are the county champions echoed Odindo’s sentiments.

Nyakach only needed to play the first quarter to be declared champions after their opponents Ngere Kagoro threw in the towel never to return to the pitch. Nyakach were leading 26-3 in the first quarter.

“Last year we were not ready because of the previous covid-19 stoppages and we played terrible. Losing to Kobala in netball and football was an eye opener but we are back. For netball, we have also to reclaim the regional title and then go for the national crown,” said Okore.