Kenya - Two Premiership clubs and a Nationwide League side are among the teams targeting stars rising out of the Safaricom Sakata Ball Championships. Officials from Western Stima and Sony Sugar, along with those from Nationwide League side Shabana FC, were at the Safaricom Sakata Ball Championships provincials held at Kisumu Polytechnic last weekend to scout for players. Kisii United and Galacticos Youth Academy qualified to represent Nyanza at the nationals in the boys' and girls' competitions, respectively. Huge talent.

"The talent in the country is great and it beats my understanding why we cannot get good material for Harambee Stars," wondered former Harambee Stars midfielder Sammy Shollei at Kisumu Polytechnic, "yet we have abundant talent."

Shollei is gunning for the chairmanship of Kenya's football governing body. Kisii United beat St Georges 1-0 in the boys' final as Galacticos FC, from Siaya, silenced Victoria FC of Nyakach 2-0.

Joseph Masese scored early for the victors during the second half of the hotly contested final.

Defensive lapse

He capitalised on a defensive lapse in the St Georges side to tap home the goal. The girls' final saw Galacticos beat Victoria 2-0.

Galacticos pressed harder after a barren first half and were awarded a penalty when a Victoria player handled in the box.

Winfred Auma rose to the occasion, sending goalkeeper Rose Olal the wrong way to open the score sheet.

Minutes later, Mercy Achieng scored from a tight angle to set off wild celebrations from the Galacticos players, who knew their ticket to the finals in Nairobi in August was well secured.

The Coast provincial finals in Mombasa, due in a fortnight, is the next Sakata Ball action.

Odindo Ayieko

Daily News/10/06/2011