Luminous FC crowned Chamgei-Shabiki Tourney champions at Kapsoit

Former Kenyan international Nicholas Kipkirui inspired Luminous FC to a 4-2 victory over Kapsoit Allstars to win the Chamgei FM-Shabiki.com football tournament in a rain-soaked final at Kapsoit Secondary School in Kericho County on Saturday.

Kipkirui, a former Gor Mahia and Zoo Kericho striker, opened the scoring just six minutes into the match, setting the tempo for an exciting thriller watched by hundreds of fans who braved a heavy downpour at Kapsoit Grounds.

Kelvin Cheruiyot, Victor Kipkorir and Kevin Kemboi added a goal each to complete the victory, while Hudson Kipng'eno and Josephat Kemboi pulled two goals back for Kapsoit.

Speaking after the match, Kipng'eno said the rain affected their game plan and contributed to the loss.

"We could not execute the seamless passes that we are used to. The ground was soggy, and I think Luminous had the advantage of adapting to this kind of situation better than us," he said.

Kipkirui, who has three brothers in the team, said the better side won but acknowledged the stiff competition mounted by Kapsoit.

"It was a good game. They (Kapsoit) gave their all, but we were better in several areas. It is always humbling to play at this level, showing upcoming players that it is possible to come from such local clubs and rise to the top," Kipkirui said.

"Shabiki.com has given us a chance and a platform to come together through the beautiful game, which is an important way of celebrating with beneficiaries of the crucial projects they are rolling out in different communities," he added.

Among the fans who watched the Shabiki.com-powered final was Franklin Kipyegon, who joined the celebrations fresh from winning a KSh5.4 million jackpot from the gaming platform.

Kipyegon, a medic, said he was over the moon not only because of the huge win but also because of the celebrations it brought to his community.

"When I see this football fiesta, the tank Shabiki.com has donated to our hosts, Kapsoit Secondary School, and the fun here, I feel complete joy. It is a win for all of us as a community, and this is the way to go," noted the newest millionaire in Kenya.

Shabiki.com Marketing Manager Juliet Okeyo said: "When Franklin won, he told us that his win could not be complete without involving his community. This was a good sign for us, as we believe in touching communities through various projects, including youth and women’s empowerment. So when the idea of a football tournament was raised, we could not hesitate. It is such a joy to see how the community turned up for the tournament."

Elite FC won the third-place play-off, beating Ogirgir 6-5 on penalties after settling for a goalless draw in regulation time.

In the opening clash, Kapsoit Allstars took the lead early in the second half, with Ian 'Kiko' Kipchirchir scoring the decisive goal to seal a place in the final.

The Telanet-based side from Ainamoi Constituency, however, had to fight hard to hold on to their slim lead, as Elite kept knocking until the final whistle.

In the second semi-final, Luminous needed only nine minutes to open the scoring, with former Kipkirui skilfully unsettling Ogirgir's goalkeeper with a low drive into the right corner.

It was a one-sided affair, and Clement 'Beki' Kibet scored the second in the 25th minute.

Just before the break, Collins Kipng'etich scored the third, further deflating an already fading Ogirgir.

After the break, Ogirgir were keen to avoid further damage. They therefore adopted a more defensive approach, which paid off, restricting Luminous to the three first-half goals.

The champions took home KSh50,000, the 1st runners up KSh20,000 while third and fourth ranked teams each got KSh.10,000.