China’s solo goal secures Bingwa Fest championship for Bandari Youth

Bandari Youth FC were crowned Coast Bingwa Fest champions Sunday afternoon after securing a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Simba Apparel at Mbaraki Stadium in Mombasa County.

The match-winning goal came from Yusuf Ali, popularly known as "China," sealing the title for Bandari Youth.

The final kicked off with an early chance for Bandari Youth as Suleiman Kahema fired a shot from 20 yards in the second minute. However, Simba Apparel’s goalkeeper, Stephen Ogola, reacted swiftly to make the save.

In the 26th minute, Bandari Youth broke the deadlock. China finished a well-worked move involving quick exchanges with Hafidh Abdillah and Mohammed Tsuma, slotting a low shot into the bottom corner of the net.

Just before halftime, Bandari Youth’s goalkeeper, Francis Katana, made a crucial save to deny Austin Oduor an equalizer, ensuring his team maintained their 1-0 lead at the break.

The second half saw Simba Apparel launch a series of attacks through Peter Mwololo, Charles Lumumba, and Bakari Rama, forcing Bandari Youth to defend resolutely and manage the game’s tempo.

Despite relentless pressure from Simba, Bandari Youth held firm, remaining unbeaten throughout the competition and keeping a clean sheet in the final.

Speaking after the match, Bandari Youth head coach Alex Shikanga expressed his satisfaction with the victory.

“It was a hard-fought final and sweet revenge after what Simba did to us in the first leg of the league,” Shikanga said.

“They supported us in the semi-finals, thinking it would be an easy win, but we dominated them to claim the championship.”

Simba Apparel head coach Patrick Nyale acknowledged the defeat but praised his team’s performance.

“No one ever plays to lose, but congratulations to Bandari Youth. They took their chance and scored, even though we dominated the match's latter stages. Our focus now shifts to the league, and we aim to carry this momentum into the FKF Division One League.”

Women’s Final

KCN Poly emerged victorious in the women’s final, edging out Destiny Ladies from Changamwe with a 1-0 win.

Phibi Baraza scored the match’s only goal in the 63rd minute, calmly finishing a one-on-one opportunity against Destiny goalkeeper Ziada Omar with a composed low shot.

Despite the loss, Omar made several outstanding saves, keeping her team in contention for the KES 1 million prize. Baraza finished as the top scorer of the Bingwa Fest Coast Chapter with six goals.

Speaking after the final whistle, KCN Poly head coach Juliana Kioko commended her team’s performance.

“I’m grateful to Betika for giving these girls a platform to showcase their talent. It was a tough match, but our girls fought hard for the win,” she said. “The equity in prize distribution between the boys’ and girls’ categories is a significant step forward in changing perceptions about women’s football. These girls truly deserve the best.”

Basketball Finals
Women: Unicorns 11-12 The Money Team
Men: Free Nation 22-10 KNCP

Rugby Finals
Women: Hunters Hill 51-0 Mazeras Starlets
Men: Mombasa Sports Club 5-0 TUM Marines