Passenga, Alliance draw blanks as Bukembe triumph

Kenya’s Passenga High and Tanzania’s Alliance Boys played to a goalless draw to move each to four points following respective wins on Monday, 29th as the ongoing Brookside East Africa Secondary School Games in Eldoret entered day four.

In another match at the Eldoret Sports club Grounds, National champions, Laiser Hill, and East African champions Masaka of Uganda registered the day’s other barren draw. Following Monday’s defeats, both teams now face must-win fixtures in order qualify for the quarter-finals.

Passenga’s James Kinyanjui and John Avire both tested goalkeeper Kelvin Richard with two quick-fire shots inside the first seven minutes as Alliance were almost punished for a sluggish start.

The Tanzanian champions then settled into the game and got their first real chance through Ismail Zuma in the 19th after the attacker beat an offside trap but keeper Francis Odemba came to the home side’s rescue.

At the half hour mark, Passenga’s Francis Kahiro missed narrowly after dribbling past his opponents, failing to apply a finish with the goal gaping. Five minutes later, Kahiro saw a deflected effort nearly deceive the goalkeeper but roll just inches off target.

Despite dominating the proceedings in the first half, Passenga were unable to get past Richard as the two sides went to the break deadlocked at 0-0.

Alliance Coach modified his formation at the restart, introducing a fifth man in the midfield to restrain Passenga’s high possession game, leaving a lone striker upfront.

The adjustment paid off with little clear cut chances witness created up until the last minute of the match as they each earned a point.

-Bukembe, Nginda comeback thrillers-

Earlier at Hill School Grounds, super substitute Patrick Otieno inspired Bungoma County’s Bukembe Secondary school to a spectacular comeback against Burundi’s St. Basile, scoring twice in a 3-1 win. Wycliffe Wanyonyi struck the third.

Pascal Niyonkuru had opened the scoring for the Burundians in the 19th minute.

In the girl’s category, Kenya’s Nginda bounced back to winning ways with a 3-2 victory over Uganda’s Mukono in another entertaining clash of the day.

Two goals from skipper Rachael Muema and another from Emmaculate Nsanzu gave the Clinton Otolo coached side all the three points, after losing to Burundi’s ETG Nyakibiga in their opener on Monday.

The side is struggling after losing their national player of the tournament, striker Christine Kitaru, to injury and went two goals down inside only 12 minutes before an unlikely comeback that lit up the stadium.