Busia County emerged as the champions of the 2023 Talanta Hela U-19 ladies’ category, defeating Kisumu County 3-1 in the finals in a thrilling showdown at the Nyayo National Stadium on Tuesday.
The opening ten minutes saw both teams vying to establish dominance, with sporadic half chances defining the early moments.
The first clear-cut opportunity of the match arose for Kisumu’s Emily Moranga, who, unfortunately, had her chance cut short by a foul called on Busia’s goalkeeper, Christine Adhiambo, before she could capitalize on the loose ball from a set piece.
The game came alive around the half-hour mark when Busia orchestrated a sequence of passes leading to Halima Imbachi scoring past Kisumu’s Mary Akoth. Kisumu swiftly responded through Maureen Atieno, seizing the opportunity created by Adhiambo’s miscued save from a set piece and equalizing with a powerful strike into the net.
As the first half approached its conclusion, Vihiga nearly took the lead, but Diana Anyango’s shot narrowly missed the target.
The second half kicked off with both goalkeepers facing early tests in quick succession. Busia surged ahead in the 51st minute, earning a penalty when Faith Lorna was brought down in the box by Cynthia Wanzula. Judith Nandwa calmly converted the spot-kick, placing the ball out of reach for Kisumu’s Akoth.
Despite Kisumu’s efforts to level the score, Busia stood firm, with Adhiambo denying Moranga’s attempt. Busia then launched their own offensive, with Nandwa weaving past Kisumu’s defenders and finding Glender Dorcas, who comfortably slotted the ball into the net, securing Busia’s 3-1 lead.
The Western side successfully withstood Kisumu’s late attempts to clinch the title, marking a triumphant victory in the Talanta Hela U-19 ladies’ category.
