KSSSA: 10-man Highway down Musingu for maiden title as Butere shine
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Reading Time: 3min | Thu. 08.08.24. | 19:08
The match ended 1-1 after 90 minutes, forcing it to extra time. Neither team could break the deadlock in extra time, leading to a penalty shootout
Nairobi's Highway Secondary School are the winners of the 2024 Kenya Secondary Schools Sports Association (KSSSA) Term Two football games after edging favorites Musingu High School 3-2 on penalties in a nerve-wracking final match played at the Gusii Stadium on Thursday.
The match ended 1-1 after 90 minutes, forcing it to extra time. Neither team could break the deadlock in extra time, leading to a penalty shootout.
The champions were under the tutelage of coach Beldine Odemba who also doubles up as the Harambee Starlets and Kenya Police Bullets FC head coach.
Elvis Ochieng opened the scoring for Musingu in the 14th minute with a simple tap-in after Highway's goalkeeper, Boaz Mushiri, failed to secure Harrison Amalemba's deflected cross, leaving Ochieng to tap in an easy goal.
This early strike jolted Highway's players into action, with talisman Humphrey Aroko and Alvin Oloo taking control of the game.
Their chemistry paid off in the 32nd minute when Aroko sent a precise pass from midfield to an open Oloo, who unleashed a 20-yard thunderbolt that flew past Musingu's goalkeeper, Arnold Chivachi, levelling the score at 1-1.
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The second half was marked by a series of close calls as both teams searched for the winning goal.
However, Highway suffered a setback in added time when their captain, Alphance Osotsi, received a red card for a dangerous tackle on Kevin Manani. Despite being a man down, Highway held firm, forcing the match into extra time.
Neither team could break the deadlock in extra time, leading to a penalty shootout. Musingu's Manani was first up but hit the crossbar, and Fredrick Onyango's attempt was saved by Mushiri.
Only Stanley Nelson and Harrison Amalemba managed to score for Musingu. Meanwhile, Highway's Humphrey Aroko, Luis Ochieng, and Tyronne Ochieng all converted their penalties.
The hero of the match was Mushiri, who saved Musingu's fifth penalty taken by Valentine Isalambo, securing a 3-2 victory for the Nairobi champions.
Despite the loss, Musingu School will still represent Kenya at the East Africa Games in Uganda later this month, alongside Highway and St. Joseph Boys Kitale, who crushed Kirangari 6-0 in the third-place playoff.
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The match was curtain-raised by the girl’s final where Butere Girls defended their title after edging Nyakach 2-0. Lorna Faith and Mercy Sakwa gave the Western Region powerhouses their goals.
Nyakach and Butere will be joined in Uganda by St Joseph Girls Kitale who saw off Kombani 1-0 to finish third.
Butere Girls’ coach Howard Shikanga was pleased with his protégé’s performance, noting that they will aim higher at the East Africa games where they finished fifth in last year’s edition.
“Congratulations to the girls. This is a deserved win because we were the better side today despite losing to Nyakach during the preliminaries. We wanted this win more and now we shift our focus to east Africa,” Shikanga offered.
KSSSA National Term Two games champions
Football
Boys-Highway Secondary School
Girls-Butere Girls High School
Rugby Sevens
Boys-Friends School Bwake
Girls-St Joseph Girls Kitale
Basketball 3X3
Girls-St Joseph Girls Kitale
Boys-St Joseph Boys Kitale
Volleyball
Boys-Cheptil
Girls-Kwanthanze
Netball
Oyugi Ogango
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