Laiser Hill, Wiyeta are Chapa Dimba Rift Valley champions

What you need to know:

  • Laiser Hill Academy coach Anthony Kirimi said they realised their opponents would slow down in the second half.
  • “We took advantage of that and controlled the game in second stage and that really worked for us even though we missed clear scoring chances,” said Kirimi. He promised to work on finishing before the national Chapa Dimba na Safaricom event that will be played in Mombasa in June.

Champa Dimba na Safaricom Rift Valley inaugural champions Kapenguria Heroes from West Pokot failed to reclaim the title after they went 4-2 down through penalty shot outs to Laiser Hill Academy from Kajiado during the regional final at Kericho Green Stadium on Sunday.

In girls competition, former East Africa secondary schools champion and favourites Wiyeta Girls from West Pokot clinched the ticket to national bonanza after they beat their perennial rivals Itigo girls from Nandi North 3-0 in the final.

In the boys’ final, the two teams had fought to a 1-1 draw in normal time to force the match referee Nelson Katush to apply the post-match penalty rule to break the deadlock.

Kapenguria Heroes were the first to score through a superb individual effort by Samson Tanui in the eighth minute.

Kapenguria Heroes had chance to double their lead in the 31st minute via a penalty kick.

Post-match penalty kicks

But their striker Alfred Tanui, who ended up the tournaments top scorer, saw his spot kick effort brilliantly save by Laiser Hill Academy custodian James Muimi.

Laiser Hill Academy levelled matters when Sharriff Majabe slotted home a penalty kick after he was brought down in the box in the 78th minute.

Laiser Hill put in their post-match penalty kicks through Sharriff Majabe, Byron Otieno, Timothy Ouma and Abdulrazak Hassan while Kapenguria Heroes scored via Morgan Ekamais and Stephen Orare.

Laiser Hill Academy coach Anthony Kirimi said they realised their opponents would slow down in the second half.

“We took advantage of that and controlled the game in second stage and that really worked for us even though we missed clear scoring chances,” said Kirimi. He promised to work on finishing before the national Chapa Dimba na Safaricom event that will be played in Mombasa in June.