KSSSA: Emusire Boys crowned new Vihiga County football champions

Emusire Boys High School were on Saturday have been crowned Vihiga County football champions after edging Ebwali 2-1 in a scintillating match played at Chavakali High School ground.

The Emuhaya based team capitalised on Ebwali defensive lapses to score their first goal via Innocent Achono, from a counter attack before Alloy Peter from Ebwali made things level in the second half.

Wayne Okindo would however spoil the party in the 78th minute when he headed a corner kick into the net, catching Ebwali’s Swale Abu unawares.

Ebwali's spirited fight to equalise and perhaps defend their County title yielded little as numerous chances they created were thwarted.

Speaking after the game, Billy Aluda, Emusire Boys coach lauded his charges for breaking the jinx of failing to go past the County stage for many years.

“Dethroning Ebwali has not been easy. Ebwali has cut our ambitions to go past the counties twice and this third time, we were prepared to handle them, thanks to the County league that we enrolled earlier this year that has boosted my players' endurance,” Aluda stated.

He added that the County league had helped his squad to keep fit, hoping they are now ripe to challenge at a higher level.

“Emusire will be going for nothing but victory at the regional level. We want to play in the Western Region finals this year,” Aluda made clear the Emuhaya based team’s resolve to upset critics.  

On the other hand, Ebwali coach Nickson Manaka blamed the centre referee for their loss.

“We lost concentration and Emusire punished us, but when we had gained momentum in the second half only for the center referee to derail us. He stopped the game for several minutes to engage fans who were surging in the field, killing our tempo and before we could realize, Emusire had scored the second goal,” Manaka explained.

However, Manaka who took over from former coach Francis Muhambe says Ebwali's ambitions to play in the nationals this year are on despite losing the County title.

Elsewhere, Madira Girls beat Ibubi 1-0 to lift County trophy.