Curtains to the inaugural edition of the Patrick Oboya Cup Tournament sponsored by leading betting company Mozzart Bet came to a close over the weekend as the crowd’s favorite MUFYA FC were crowned champions after beating Rongai United in post-match penalties in an event filled with pomp and color.The final game of the competition lived up to its expectations and had to be settled from the spot after both teams played to a barren draw in regular time with MUFYA winning 9-8 eventually. And even in the penalties, the two teams had their best feet forward, stretching all the way to the ninth penalty to have a winner.Both MUFYA FC and Rongai United had a decent outing in the tournament, going all the way to the final without losing a game. For MUFYA, it was a clean record in the competition, emerging overall winners without losing a single at all.The tournament started with 16 teams in four groups, but at the end of the group gams only two teams from each group made it through to the quarterfinals, and eventually one winner.Group stageTeam Ping, Derby FC, Sacramento FC, and Kayaba Legends were all in Group A, with Ping and Derby FC making it out of the group in that order with nine and six points.MUFYA FC are the champions of the inaugural @OboyaCup after edging out Rongai United on post match penalties. Walikataa kupangwa pic.twitter.com/pPPcYH8ejO— Murimi Njiru (@muriminjirujnr) December 12, 2021 First runners up Rongai United topped Group B with nine seven, with Cheza Sports coming second with six points while Kawasaki and First Five minutes completed the group.MUFYA had the same record as Ronga FC in the group stages, topping with 7 points as SUSA, Langata Allstars, and South City followed in that order.South C United and MCC occupied the first and second positions in Group D respectively, with Bomas of Kenya and Madaraka being the other participants in the group.📰 | 𝙎𝙏𝘼𝙉𝘿𝙄𝙉𝙂𝙎!This is how the tables for different groups stand at the moment!• Team Ping, Derby, Rongai, Cheza Sports, M.U.F.Y.A, S.U.S.A., South C United and MCC qualify for the quarters!Powered by @mozzartbetkenya#PatrickOboyaCup #MozzartBetKenya pic.twitter.com/1D3INkYYGF— Patrick Oboya Cup (@OboyaCup) November 23, 2021 Enter quarter-finalsThe last 8 teams had a real contest as they sought a ticket to the semis.Team Ping edged out Cheza Sports by a solitary in the first semi-final while MUFYA saw off South C United by a solitary goal in the second game of the stage.Rongai United eased off past Derby FC with a comfortable 2-0 win while SUSA had to toil for the semis spot against MCC, beating the latter 4-4 on post-match penalties after playing to a 1-all draw in regular time.Last fourTwo home sides, MUFYA FC and SUSA made it to the semi-final but only MUFYA managed to make it to the ultimate showpiece as SUSA were beaten 2-0 by Rongai United to the disappointment of the fans who had thronged the grounds.🗞️ | 𝙏𝘼𝘼𝙍𝙄𝙁𝘼Ni rasmi sasa kuwa timu hizi nne zimefuzu kwa hatua ya raundi ya nusu fainali inayoanza wikendi hii;✅ Team Ping ✅ M.U.F.Y.A. Fc ✅ Rongai United ✅ South B UnitedMtanange huu umepigwa jeki na @mozzartbetkenya#PatrickOboyaCup#MozzartBetKenya pic.twitter.com/mQjt8yeuPq— Patrick Oboya Cup (@OboyaCup) November 29, 2021 Nevertheless, the local fans still had MUFYA FC to hold on to and support in the final after edging out Team Ping by a similar scoreline to that of Rongai and SUSA.Individual awardsMUFYA’s defender Bramuel Ojiambo was picked as the MVP in the tournament as Rongai’s Ephantus Mungai walked home with the golden glove having conceded only once in the group stages.Mungai was exceptional for Rongai, and even saved the first penalty in the final to give his side hopes of lifting the trophy, but his teammates could not be as clinical to get the job done.Kevin Sanya of Team Ping emerged as the top scorer with six goals, netting against Sacramento, Kayaba Legends, and against SUSA in the third-place playoff. So prolific he was that he was the only player to score a hattrick in the tournament, doing in the 6-1 triumph over Kayaba legends where he scored four goals.Exceptional performancesRongai United’s Glen Odhiambo, MUFYA’s pair of midfielder Tony Blaire and custodian Stima Injendi, Team Ping’s duo of Kevin Sanya and December Kisaka were all exemplary throughout the tournament.Already, Tony Blaire has attracted interest from a couple of clubs with South B Allstars reportedly being on the forefront of signing the combative midfielder with inch-perfect precision and a master of deadballs.The second edition should be here already!
