South B United and Acakoro Ladies are back for a stab at Chapa Dimba na Safaricom Nairobi titles during the finals set for 27-28 April 2019 at Goan Institute after coming through respective branch qualifiers in recent weekends.
Akakoro Ladies, the losing Nairobi finalists in March 2018, booked their place in the finals in the first weekend of April after blanking Mathare United 4-0 at MYSA Komarock grounds as FKF Nairobi East Branch wrapped its grass root games.
In the just-ended weekend, South B United – the beaten semifinalist in the first edition – rallied from the jaws of defeat in the ended weekend to outwit Vapor Sports at KNH for a back-to-back return to the regional finals as Nairobi West Branch concluded their games.
South B trailed Vapor Sports into added time but leveled off a corner to send the game to penalties that they ultimately won 4-3.
Acakoro Ladies are joined in the finals by Nairobi County Queens from Makadara who saw off Mrembo FC from Kamukunji 4-0 on the same weekend they knocked out Mathare United.
The two girls teams from Nairobi East are joined in the finals by Jericho All-Stars and Bright Star Academy from Mwiki who overcame Umoja All-Stars 4-1 and Kamukunji Secondary 2-1, respectively.
At KNH, a promising Uweza FC side joined South B United in the finals after knocking out Kangemi Patriots 4-2 on penalties in Nairobi West Branch finals. The normal game ended 0-0.
Also qualified for the finals from the KNH games were Dagoretti Mixed Girls and Carolina For Kibera (CFR).
CFR beat Kangemi Ladies 1-0 as Dagoreti Mixed dethroned champions Beijing Raiders after winning a post-game shootout 5-4. The two were tied 2-2 in regulation time.
Felled at first hurdle
The upcoming Nairobi finals will be without last year’s boys’ finalists Slum Dwellers and champions Gor Mahia Youth – who only missed out on the National title after falling to Kapenguria Heroes on penalties in Kakamega – after the two failed to go past the first hurdle.
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Qualified Nairobi teams
Nairobi West Branch: Acakoro Ladies, Nairobi County Queens – Girls, Bright Star Academy, Jericho All-Stars – Boys
Nairobi East Branch: Carolina For Kibera (CFR), Dagoretti Mixed – Girls, South B United, Uweza FC – Boys
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