This year’s Kenya Defense Forces women football tournament kicked off on Tuesday at the 10 Engineers Battalion Barracks in Nanyuki to a spectacular display of the game by the ladies in uniform.
In the opening game, 10 Engineers walloped Eagles of Embakasi 13-0 in a one-sided match that saw Julia Chepkoech open the score line for the home side on the 13th minute and three minutes later Catherine Moraa netted the second.
Eagles’ woes were later compounded in the 21st minute after they were reduced to 10 players when Doreen Kerubo was red carded for a tackle on an opponent on the box and a resultant penalty was netted by Moraa.
Sylvia Ntayia netted a fourth in the 28th minute and by half time, the 10 Engineers were leading eight goals to nil. Julia Chepkoech was the leading scorer with five goals while Doreen Kerubo netted four.
In another match, defending champions Kahawa Garrison beat Kenya Navy 5-0 in a match played under a heavy downpour that saw Lucy Mukhwana score a hat trick in the 20th, 49th and 50th minutes.
Lucy Kayia opened the score line in the 11th minute while Patricia Amase added a second in the 16th minute.
Mukhwana who also plays for the Ulinzi starlets displayed excellent dribbling skills and speed during the game and was a constant headache for the Kenya Navy defenders who were no match for her.
The two-week tournament brings together participants from the three services of the Kenya Defense Forces; Army, Air force and the Navy will be used to select new players for the Ulinzi starlets’ team that is currently playing in the National Super League.
The finals match will be played on November 14 after which the selection of the best players to join Ulinzi starlets’ team will be carried out.
By Martin Munyi