Madira’s free-kick stuns Nyanza champion Kobala in girls’ football fixtures
By Bosco Magare, July 31, 2025National title hopefuls Madira Girls edged out Nyanza champions Kobala 1-0 (who are buoyed by experienced players) as the secondary schools’ ball games kicked off in Kakamega on Tuesday, July 29, 2025, but Kobala’s coach insists the Romanian-trained side still has the grit to reach the finals.
The Western region’s representatives scored the all-important goal against Kobala in a match played next to Kakamega Boys.
Kobala head coach Julius Aminga, in an interview yesterday with People Sports, stated confidently that the Nyanza champions would recover and reach the final.
Madira netted the lone goal through Vivian Amondi past Kobala Mixed Secondary School custodian Scovia Awuor, after a free kick awarded in the opening minutes of the first half following a foul on teammate Valery Leah Nekesa by an opponent.
Amondi’s clinically taken free kick hit the crossbar and ricocheted into Kobala’s goalmouth, leaving goalkeeper Scovia Awuor, who also doubles as the national Under-17 and Under-20 custodian, bewildered, as the huge crowd of football enthusiasts, comprising mostly locals, gave hosts Madira a standing ovation.
During the second half, Kobala, boosted by five Romanian-trained players (full back Sheila Awuor, left centre back Brenda, right centre back Esther Atieno and left winger Lucy Akinyi), combined with centre forward Beffine Shaley and attacking midfielders Ida Akinyi, Lilian Anyango and Sey Lilian to dominate the entire half.
Madira survived several scares and goalmouth forays from the Nyanza regional champions.
Speaking to People Sports after the closely contested Pool ‘B’ match, Kobala head coach Aminga stated, “The match against Madira was our hardest and toughest game, playing against an experienced side, with most Madira players playing for women’s premier league side Soccer Assassins.”
“So, Kobala was the underdog during the preliminary Pool B match against Madira. However, we also lost the match due to intimidation, since when the game was about to kick off, match officials invaded the field and started singling out some of our players, tagging them as being ineligible.”
He continued, “The unsporting acts by the match officials disoriented our team players. The players, however, recovered during the second half and entirely dominated the proceedings.
“And you will be surprised: harassment of our team players by match officials and Madira’s narrow win against Kobala has actually stabilised Kobala players. In the upcoming two matches, we are confident we will edge out our opponents, Nairobi-based Dagoretti and coastal side Mwanambeyu, and reach the national ball games football final.”
Aminga recalled, “During the Nyanza regional ball games, we faced almost similar circumstances. We lost an opening match against a weakened 10-player Kisii County team, Mobamba Secondary 2-1. Saye Secondary then pipped Mobamba 1-0 in the semis, and we recovered to toss out Saye in the final 4-2 through post-match penalties.”
Aminga further explained that since Kobala’s next opponents, Dagoretti and Mwanambeyu Secondary, drew 1-1 in an opening Pool ‘B’ match, the outcome gives Kobala the advantage of garnering six points in Pool ‘B’ and proceeding to the semis, adding, “And finally walking into the path of national defending champions Butere Girls in the final.”
“We are facing Dagoretti at Mukumu Girls football field on Wednesday [today], while Madira will play Mwanambeyu at Mabao Sports Ground in Kakamega town. We have previously played Dagoretti six times and defeated them. During the European qualification tournament in Kenya, to qualify to play in Romania, we thrashed Dagoretti 4-1. So, it is a team we know,” Aminga stated in a parting shot.