FEASSSA GAMES: Madira kick off campaign with a hard-fought draw
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Reading Time: 3min | Thu. 14.08.25. | 12:53
Schools from across the East African region have converged on Kakamega for the two-week championship, joined by guest teams from Nigeria, Ivory Coast, and Ghana
The 2025 Federation of East African Secondary School Sports Association (FEASSSA) Games got underway this morning in Kakamega County, but the opening day was not without drama.
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Schools from across the East African region have converged on Kakamega for the two-week championship, joined by guest teams from Nigeria, the Ivory Coast, and Ghana.
However, the tournament started on a low note after organisers made last-minute changes to fixtures.
The confusion began when the opening ceremony, initially scheduled for Thursday, was moved to Friday to accommodate President William Ruto’s attendance.
By 9:00 am, no Kenyan football team had taken to the pitch, as delayed arrivals from visiting sides forced further adjustments to the schedule.
Once things settled, Madira Girls became the first Kenyan team to step onto the field, facing Kawempe Muslim of Uganda in the girls’ football category.
The Kenyan national silver medallists entered the tie as underdogs on paper, with Kawempe boasting a strong reputation in the region.
But from the first whistle, Madira showed they were not intimidated, taking control of possession and dictating the tempo.
Head coach Eddy Wekesa, who made several changes from the squad that finished second at the nationals, seemed to have struck the right balance.
His new-look line-up played with energy and purpose, stretching the Ugandan defence with wide play and quick passing.
Madira’s dominance was evident in the first half.
Winger Brenda Awuor repeatedly terrorised Kawempe’s right flank, delivering dangerous crosses into the box.
Midfielder Lindy Wee Atieno, from the Junior Starlets, pulled the strings in midfield, spraying pinpoint passes and linking play between defence and attack.
Striker Faith Chepng’etich came closest to breaking the deadlock, her glancing header narrowly missing the far post after a well-worked move.
Kawempe’s goalkeeper was called into action several times, producing a brilliant save to deny Atieno’s curling shot from distance.
In the second half, Madira maintained the pressure, pinning Kawempe in their own half for long spells.
The Ugandan side, however, defended resolutely, relying on last-ditch tackles and a compact backline to frustrate the Kenyans.
A late Kawempe counter-attack almost turned the game on its head, but Madira goalkeeper Yvonne Akinyi reacted sharply to clear the danger.
The match ended goalless, but Madira’s display was a statement of intent ahead of their next fixtures.
“Our target is to win the East African title, and we are ready to go all out,” Wekesa said after the match.
“We’ve had better preparations this time, and we know our opponents are tough. We have to be on top of our game.”
Nicknamed the Soccer Assassins, Madira are also juggling FEASSA duties with preparations for another season in the Kenya Women's Premier League after securing promotion last year.
Wekesa believes the addition of Atieno will strengthen an already talented side.
“We’ve added Lindy Wee, who has joined our junior secondary, and we are confident she’ll add firepower in our midfield alongside Brenda Awuor, who has been a key player for us,” he said.
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