Olbolsat thrash Banisa as St Anthony’s edge Shimba Hills in football U19

Last year’s football boys Under-19 losing finalists Olbolsat roared loud in their opening match of the 2019 Kenya Secondary Schools Sports Association (KSSSA) Term Two Games that kicked off in Kisumu yesterday.

Olbolsat thrashed Banisa Mixed from North Eastern 6-1 in the opening Pool B match to send a statement to their opponents that they are determined to go one better this time while giants St Anthony Boy’s Kitale were forced to dig deep to edge out Shimba Hills 1-0 in a tightly-contested duel staged at Moi Stadium in the same group. 

A second half goal from Dan Musamali gave St Anthony’s, former National and East Africa champions, the win ahead of their second group match today.

The four-time national champions last won the title in 2012 and are among teams hungry to return to winning ways in Kisumu.

St Anthony’s applied a slow approach to the match, letting Shimba Hills dictate the proceedings but the coastal side were wasteful in the early exchanges.

After 19 minutes, Shimba Hills had another glorious scoring opportunity that disappointingly went begging with a cracking shot from their striker hitting the woodwork.

St Anthony’s then started settling into the match, giving Shimba as much as they got, forcing the coastal side to concede three consecutive corners, though they could not make use of them to break the deadlock in the first half.

After the break, St Anthony’s Boys, commonly known Solidarity Boys, resumed the second half strongly and 19 minutes into the half, Musamali scored a beautiful goal to give Saints the lead. 

“We have been winning the Under-16s but I am eager to win the Under-19 title with St Anthony’s senior boys. It was a tough match against a good side like Shimba and the win, being our first match, gives us morale and belief to keep pushing hard,” said Mayoyo.

However, it was not the start the hosts anticipated as Kisumu Day suffered 1-0 opening loss to little-known Ebwali from Western in Pool A.