Green Canopy from Mundika, Bukhayo West Ward in Busia County are the inaugural winners of the Busia County League champions played at the Busia County Stadium on October 24, 2021.
It was a close fought match that would have gone either way but Canopy capitalized on the lapses on their opponents to score two crucial goals that saw Giants suffer their first league defeat of the season.
Zone B Champions Canopy stunned their opponents Malaba Giants with sublime 2 goals to earn them a trophy and cash awards from the sponsor.
Led by former AFC Leopards striker, Geoffrey Ouma, Canopy forced the first corner in the 33rd minute which failed to bear fruits as they made another daring raid a minute later when Ouma failed to find the back of the net.
The efforts eventually paid dividends in the 36th minutes when Canopy took a deserved lead with a splendid goal from Oscar Masiga who beat Robert Omuse in Giants goal with a close range shot.
Peter Oundo, the super substitute who replaced Masiga in the 70th minute, sealed the victory with a second goal in the 84th minute
Green Canopy Captain, Lazarus Abungu said despite their victory, their opponents who had remained unbeaten put up a spirited fight but lady luck was not on their side, adding that they are ready to conquer the region.
Giants coach, Meshack Oteleng, conceded that the team played well but luck was not on their side, adding that they failed to rise up to the occasion until the second half but failed to yield results.
He regretted that their other undoing was lack of six players in the first 11 and players who could not avail themselves with some playing despite injuries that cost them team the county title.
The event sponsor and Busia County Woman Representative, Beatrice Nakholi, thanked Busia FKF Busia for making the youth active by nurturing their talents, urging other leaders to follow suit.
“Let’s support the federation to nurture, taken that abound in the county instead of seating on the periphery and allowing the youth to sink into oblivion,” she said.
Canopy Chairman, Clement Wanjala, said Canopy started as a village team courtesy of the Bulala tournament which they won in 2020, thus prompting him to enter the team in the Branch League.
“Our focus now is to qualify for big time soccer. We have what it takes to represent the county in top flight football owing to potential that abound in the county,” he said, adding that the team has the discipline and potential to steer the county to greater heights and pledged to start a soccer academy.
In the playoff match for third and fourth playoff match, Boca Junior from Malaba beat Ajax from Busia Airstrip 5-4 on penalties after a 2-2 draw in extra time.
Boca scored their penalties through Joseph Idewa, Stephen Otinga, Ahmed Yusuf, Nicholas Ochingat and Stephen Idewa Ajax converted their penalties through Denis Wandera, Mcdonald Ekisa, Felix Ekisa and Nickson Munai.
In regulation time Boca scored the first goal in the 32nd minute. Wilson Malala before Ochingat added the second goal. Ajax goals were scored by Moses Haggai and Patrick Egero.
By Absalom Namwalo
