Eldoret FC are the champions of the North Rift Region Tujiamini Cheza Dimba Tournament after smashing PASC Langa 1 nil in the finals held on Saturday at RCEA Wareng grounds in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu.
Eldoret FC earned bragging rights amidst an electric atmosphere as they trampled PASC Langa 1-0 through Rooney Miret’s 8th minute goal in the final takedown, which saw the victors walk away with a 3-year sponsorship worth Sh250,000 annually, after overcoming stiff competition from runner’s up, PASC Langa.
Rooney Miret scored an early opener in the 8th minute as fans were awed at the impressive defensive skills displayed by Eldoret FC, blocking off any goal-scoring attempts by their opponents in the thriller that promised to be a gripping duel right from the start.
Eldoret FC had earlier in the semi-final pulled off an unexpected win over their local counterparts, Eldoret Warriors FC, in an intriguing rivalry where they eliminated the Warriors 2-0, eventually forcing them to settle for the first runner-up position despite putting up a formidable show.
Goals by James Manyala and Isaac Walele in the first and second half, respectively, spearheaded the surprise win.
In their semifinal match against the Kitale Phantoms, PASC Langa, were saved by a penalty kick that was converted by Cyrus Bosire in the 39th minute, giving them a slot in the final.
Speaking after the win, Eldoret FC team captain Ronald Miriti acknowledged the Tujiamini Initiative, noting that it presented a flourishing opportunity for young talent in the grassroots.
“Our target is to get to the Football Kenya Federation Premier League, and since most of us are from underprivileged backgrounds, the rewards accompanying the win are motivation for us to perform even better moving forward as we continue to inspire those around us,” he said.
On the other hand, despite being down, PASC Langa made it clear that they were not out: “A loss of concentration in the final affected the outcome of the game considering how well we played earlier in the tournament. We got back on track in the second half, but we missed a goal, lowering our chances of winning the final,” said team captain Kevin Kang’ethe.
Three counties down, the Tujiamini initiative has intensified efforts towards impacting sports and related talents at the grassroots.
SportPesa Partnerships Manager, Willis Ojwang, lauded the quality of football talent in the North Rift region.
“We have seen a manifestation of really good potential, and seeing as some of the players live off the sport, the initiative couldn’t have come at a better time,” he noted.
The Tujiamini initiative by SportPesa now shifts gears to the Western region as it nears the halfway mark with assurance of even more exciting sporting action and a display of talent.
By Ekuwam Sylvester
