Ex-Stars player Guyo eager to retain Golden Boot as bankers clash

Equity Bank’s Elisabeth Njeri (centre) challenge Charity Juma and Linda Olando of Absa Bank during Kenya Institue of Bakers football match. INSET: Dida Guyo. [Jonah Onyango,Standard]

Former Harambee Stars U-20 midfielder Dida Guyo Godana is one player that stands out in the ongoing Kenya Institute of Bankers (KIB) Interbank Sports in Ruaraka, Nairobi.

His shooting and dribbling skills are unmatched. His focus and thirst for goals is amazing despite being a midfielder.

It is these rare qualities that earned him the Golden Boot trophy last season, where he scored eight goals.

He had an impressive show in the final last year, scoring the opening goal that led to a 3-0 thrashing of Co-Op Bank.

The feat led Equity Bank to a fourth back-to-back football victory in the annual bankers tournament.

Guyo says he is ready to replicate the same feat this year at the championships that began over the weekend.

“Featuring for Equity at the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Division One League is what has made me tick. I combine this by also working hard off the pitch,” he said.

“Again, we have a very good team, whose collective responsibility is what propelled me to the Golden Boot stardom last year,” Guyo told Standard Sports.

Guyo has already pumped in three goals for his side, sending a strong warning that he is clearly out to guard his coveted Golden Boot title.

The player was last evening (Monday) poised to lead Equity Bank against National Bank of Kenya (NBK) in the quarterfinals.

“I’m targeting a brace in each match in the remaining fixtures, that, I believe, will be enough to help me retain the award.”

“We are more than prepared. Since 2016, Equity has only lost one game, this year against University of Nairobi’s Business School. So, I believe this tournament is ours to lose,” he said.

Ahead of this season’s Interbank Games, Equity boosted the football team with new blood who have already given a good account of themselves.

Out of the 13 goals scored by the bank in the group stages, ten were distributed among the new crop of players, a phenomenon Guyo says has greatly offloaded the burden of being the sole team’s marksman.

“Last year, the team totally depended on me for goals, if I wouldn’t have found the back of the net, the team would have struggled. I’m glad they do not need to depend on me entirely like last season,” he said.

Guyo said training twice a week at the Goan Institute in Pangani, and taking part in the FKF Division One League and also the Wazee Pamoja League, have sharpened Equity Bank’s players.

Currently, Guyo believes that KCB Bank are their only threat in football.

“We drew 1-1 in the Group stage, should we go with them to the final, then we will have to step up our game,” he said.

Apart from Equity and Harambee Stars, Guyo has featured for several sides in his football journey, among them leading Kakamega High School to the secondary school games national finals.

As a university student, the 28-year-old led Kenyatta University to four back-to-back Kusa Games football titles.

Apart from hoping to retain his Golden Boot title and the overall football trophy at the Interbank Games, Guyo believes Equity Bank will win the FKF Division One League. They currently lead the standings after four matches.

“We have been in this league for two seasons now, our hope is to win it and proceed to the FKF National League next year,” he said.