Nairobi’s Highway crowned national boys’ football champions

By Peter Ochieng

Nairobi county’s Highway Secondary School are the 2024 Kenya Secondary Schools Sports Association (KSSSA) boy’s football national champions, for the first time in history.

Highway, coached by Police Bullets FC head coach Beldine Odemba overcame Western champions Musingu High School of Kakamega 3-2 via post-match penalties, after the game ended 1-1 in normal and extra time at the Gusii Stadium, in Kisii county.

Butere Girls won the girls’ national title after prevailing against Kisumu’s Nyakach Girls 2-0 in the final.

Highway beat Musingu, despite their captain Miguel Osotsi being shown a red card, forcing them to play a man less in the extra time.

“I’m grateful to God for this far, we came with a purpose and today we have achieved it. When we won the Nairobi region title, we promised that we were coming here to represent the region in the best way possible and we have succeeded in doing so,” a beaming Odemba said after the final.

“We have been taking a game at a time, because we knew we were playing the best of the best in the country. That’s why when we lost one player through a red card, we switched from physical play to a more tactical approach. We also had to charge our boys psychologically that they needed to work extra to cover for the gap.”

However, Odemba will not be with the team during the East African games in Uganda later this month.

“Unfortunately, I will not be with the team in the East African games since I will be away with Police Bullets for the Cecafa Women’s Championship. We however have a very coach, my assistant Ocholla who has also been very instrumental in our victory here. He will guide the boys in Uganda and I believe we will have a good competition there since we know what to expect from most of the opponents,” she explained.

The year is panning out in the most positive way for Odemba, after recently leading Police Bullets to the Kenya Women Premier League (KWPL) title.

She is also the head coach, Kenya women’s national football team, the Harambee Starlets.