Giants fall

The Super 8 soccer tournament is Kenya's very own knock-out football. Lose one game, and you're out, see you next year. This weekend saw the tournament enter its sixth edition and was a real giant killing occasion where favorites like Gladiators, Black Mamba and Veg Pro (just to mention a few) were knocked out by relative minnows. Folks, this is what soccer is all about. Most of the teams in this tournament are teams representing various regions of Nairobi and hence emotions run high as you head to the game to cheer on not just your neighborhood team but also your neighbors. Call it grass roots football but this is the real stuff; the stuff that fans love! I can't wait for some of the teams from my home, Starehe Constituency, to play!

Perhaps this is precisely the reason why the local premier league is lacking in fans (incidentally, Super 8 matches are full of fans). You go to a stadium to see strange teams play in an empty 20000 seater stadium. Doesn't Sony Sugar FC leave a bad taste in the mouth? I think we should have more regional teams in the top flight. Here are the weekend's results:

Kakamega United 2 Gladiators 1
Gachui Black roots 2 Impala 1
Komarock rangers 3 Soweto 1
Buru Buru Sacramento 1 Black Mamba 0
Mbotela Angels 4 Hamsa heroes 3
Baba Dogo United 2 Metro Sports 1
Gachie FC 3 Delways 2
Waithaka Babes 2 Hidden Talent 1
Milo FC 1 Veg Pro 1 - Milo FC won 6-5 in post match penalties

and in the bland parallel local leagues:
Coast 1 Homegrown 0
Red Berets 2 Gor Mahia 1
Mumias 3 AFC Leopards 0