St John's lead Kenyan charge in girls football

What you need to know:

  • The annual event kicks off on Saturday with schools from the seven countries battling for honours in 13 disciplines.

National girls’ football champions St John’s Kaloleni will lead the country’s charge to reclaim the regional title at this year’s Brookside East Africa Secondary School Games that get underway in Eldoret on Saturday.

St John’s will be joined by four-time regional winners Wiyeta Girls, Nginda and Nyakach Girls as the hosts bid to win the title on home soil. Wiyeta lost 2-0 to Rwanda’s ECOTEC in last year’s final in Huye, Rwanda.

St John’s, who won their maiden national title in Kisumu after a 3-1 triumph over six-time champions Wiyeta, are hoping to complete the double in Eldoret.

Led by skipper and Harambee Starlets striker Mwanahalima “Dogo” Adam, the Coastal side are upbeat about their chances of going all the way.

Striker Elizabeth Katungwa, who hit a brace against Wiyeta, will lead the team’s forward line alongside Adam.

St John’s coach Joseph Oyoo believes he has a complete squad that can overcome all other sides in the competition.

“We have had a very successful training camp and the girls are raring to go. Just like we did in Kisumu, this is our time to conquer the region,” Oyoo told Daily Nation Sport from Eldoret.

St John’s previous appearances at the regional games (2012 and 2014) ended in disaster as they failed to go past the preliminary stages.

The Kenyan champions are in Pool A and open their account against compatriots Nyakach Girls Saturday afternoon. Other teams in the pool are Uganda’s Kawempe Muslim and Masaka alongside GS Remera (Rwanda) and Tanzanian champions Alliance.

Wiyeta, who last lifted the regional title in 2008, are eager to avenge last year’s defeat and are still hurting from their loss to St John’s during the national games.

“We have another opportunity to lift the title and we have worked on the mistakes that cost us last year. We don’t intend to let it slip this time round,” Wiyeta coach Edgar Manyara said.

In the absence of champions ECOTEC, the Kenyans will fancy their chances of making it to another final.

Wiyeta are in Pool B and will get their campaign off against compatriots Nginda Girls in what should be a cracking encounter.

Other teams in the pool are last year’s semi-finalists ETG Nyakabiga of Burundi, Rwanda’s ES Mutunda as well as Mukono and Kibasila from Uganda and Tanzania respectively. Nyakach and Nginda will be looking to shed off their underdog tags and upset the form book.

Meanwhile, schools from Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan and Zanzibar are expected in Eldoret Thursday afternoon.

The annual event kicks off on Saturday with schools from the seven countries battling for honours in 13 disciplines.