Kenya Reigns Supreme in World Street Soccer Challenge
July 9, 2006
Kenya beat South Africa 4-3 in the finals after a penalty shoot out in front of about 2,500 spectators on Saturday.
Kenya is not popular for its soccer but is international known as a discovery hub for top middle and long distances runners who dominate the Olympics and other international athletic events. The Kenyan national soccer team struggles to even qualify for the African Nations Cup but their youngsters deserved to be crowned street soccer champions on Saturday.
Twenty two teams of boys and girls between 16 and 21 from all five continents took part in the tournament, which was aimed at using soccer to promote tolerance, friendship and end conflicts, Aids and poverty. They competed in a five-a-side match without a referee. The aim was to promote Fair Play and understanding during a match.
International Street Soccer Network
Teams that took part in the tournament are part of an international street football network which was established by German national Jürgen Griesbeck, a former visiting lecture at the University of Antioquia in Medelin, Columbia.
Griesbeck was stirred by the 1994 murder of Columbian national team defender Andres Escobar to develop the idea of a street football project. Escobar was murdered in public for scoring an own goal that led to the team's exit in the 1994 World Cup.
Kenya were awarded the "Copa Andres Escobar" trophy, a first prize award in the competition, which they will defend in South Africa during the 2010 World Cup. The win meant a lot to the youngsters from Nairobi, the Kenyan capital, who are part of a self-help soccer-based social development program called Mathare Youth Sporst Association, (MYSA) which has over 15,000 boys and girls involved.
Successful Project in Africa
The Kenyan project is one of the most successful in Africa involving young Kenyan from disease and poverty riddled slum areas of the East African country.
Elisha Waduge, the winning captain, said the win meant a lot to his team, which was participating in an international tournament for the very first time.
"It's wonderful to be part of this tournament, it was our first time in Germany and the win has made our stay here even greater," he said.
The Kenyan coach David Ouma Juma said they have proven that there is great talent in Kenya by winning the tournament.
"This is a real motivation for kids back home who are part of our project and it means a lot to come all the way and win here Germany," he said.
South Africans Disappointed After Loss
The South African team, KickAids, came into the tournament in high spirits and were disappointed to lose on penalties after leading twice during the match.
"It is sad to lose like that," said Cliff Ntsoereng, the South African team captain who missed a penalty during the shoot out. "We should have won the match during play but it was just not our day."
Danny Jordaan, the South African chief executive officer of the 2010 World Cup Local Organizing Committee who attended the final, said it was for the first time he witnessed two African teams taking part in the finals of any international soccer competition.
Jordaan said it was a good step in the right direction for Africa with the world soccer showpiece coming to Africa in 2010.
"Africa should make sure that we at least have a finalist at the 2010 World Cup because we will be hosting it," he said.