Tuesday, September 5, 2023 / PEOPLE DAILY 27
28 PEOPLE SPORT FOR MORE NEWS VISIT: www.pd.co.ke / www.epaper. pd.co.ke THE ONE-STOP SPORT SHOP Tuesday, September 5, 2023 by Shadrack Andenga and Emmanuel Masinde @PeopleSports11 Nondescripts, made history by winning their maiden Kenya Rugby Sevens National Circuit title at the Tisap 7s tournament with a 12-7 win against Strathmore Leos in Eldoret Sports Club. Charles Odhiambo’s sudden last-minute try secured the championship for Nondescripts. This victory was their first since 2000 when they faced Kisumu in the fi nals. Nondies took an early lead with Daniel Okito converting Moses Begi’s try in the third minute. However, Strathmore University’s Leos levelled the score with Andrew Matoka’s try and Stephen Ousumba’s extra points. The teams remained evenly matched throughout the second half with a scoreline of 7-7. Nondies’ head coach, Benedict Nyambu, praised his team’s performance and credited their hard work. “The game was really tight and we had to push until the last minute. I am so proud of my boys,” Kisia said adding that the win was important for the 17-time Kenya Cup champions and it would improve their ranking which had seen them slip to ninth place with 28 points before the Eldoret showdown while their fi nalist opponents Strathmore Leos sat on third place with 63 points before the event.” In the semifinals, Nondies defeated Menengai Oilers 10-7, while Leos edged out Mwamba RFC 8-5. Osumba’s drop kick in extra time secured Nondies’ spot in the fi nals. During the quarterfi nals, the Oilers beat KCB Rugby 10-5, and Nondies overcame Kisumu 10-7. Mwamba stunned series leaders Kabras Sugar 19-5. For the third place, Mwamba RFC defeated the Oilers 12-7. The win was significant for Nondies, who had slipped to ninth place with 28 points in the rankings. Strathmore Leos, their finalist opponents, were in third place with 63 points before the event. This event marked the second consecutive main cup fi nal loss for Strathmore Leos in the national Rugby Sevens circuit. They had previously lost the Christie’s Sevens fi nal to KCB. Notably, Kabras, Prinsloo, and Driftwood champions were knocked out in the quarters by Mwamba. KCB, the Christie’s and Dala Sevens champions, also suffered a quarterfi nal loss to Menengai Oilers. The focus now shifts to the George Mwangi Kabeberi Memorial Sevens in Nairobi County on September 9 and 10. Sikhs’ Sukhdeep Singh shines, Obuya steals the show by Barry Silah @obel_barry Obuya Academy only won their second match of the season in 11 matches with a four-wicket win over Sikh Union in the 11th round of the NPCA-50 Overs Super Division Sunday. Veteran Collins Obuya (151 runs off 137 balls) was the man of the match especially on the batting front as he led his team to a great comeback of 303-6 inside 48.3 overs. The home team won the toss selecting to bat with a score total of 300 runs for the loss of nine wickets in their allotted overs during the fi rst innings. The Sikhs had Sukhdeep Singh (115 runs off 103 balls) to thank in their innings with his contribution also including 13 boundaries and a hattrick of sixes. The national team legend who was captaining Obuya Academy had a total of three wickets in the game to help his team storm to a crucial win. Sikh Union also had Satish Hirani (67 runs off 89 balls) and Rohit Sahu (44 runs off 40 balls) also helping out. Obuya turned on the heat straight from the word go after the break, with opener Steve Odhiambo (54 runs off 84 balls) on half a century apart from the Collins Obuya masterpiece as well. However, Sikh Union bowler Aumkar Nanda (3 wickets in 77 runs) was the key mastermind. Meanwhile, league leaders Ruaraka Sports Club continued with their fi ne run Sunday following a ninewicket win over third-placed Stray Lions. Ruaraka, who are currently on 40 points with 10 wins and a single loss in the standings, opted to fi eld in the fi rst innings and restricted the visitors to a 245-10 score on the board. Home team star Sachin Gill (94 runs off 123 balls) was declared Man of the Match. Victory at the Tisap Sevens rugby tournament in Eldoret was their first win in 23 years Collins Obuuya in action during their clash against Botswana in June. PD/ALEX NJUE Nondies rewrite history Nondescripts rugby team players celebrate their win with prayer at the Eldoret Sports Club on Sunday, September 3, 2023. PD/ EMMANUEL MASINDE KERICHO: Lisbase beat Kapsoit Elites 4-3 to lift the Benja Cup during the finals stage at Kipchimchim in Kericho County. It was not a walk in the park for the victors as they struggled hard to edge out stubborn Kapsoit in the finals of the Benja Football tournament as both teams settled for a barren draw during the standard time. Post-match penalties were used therefore to determine the winner where Lisbase won 4-3 to emerge the tourney overall winners. The champions took home the top prize of Sh200,000 while the second-placed Kapsoit pocketed Sh150,000. The thirdplaced Itobei smiled all the way to the bank after being awarded Sh100,000. Several other teams who topped at the ward level walked away with a cash prize of Sh30,000, the second-placed scooped Sh15,000 whereas the third-placed got a consolation prize of Sh5,000. All the 126 participating teams in the onemonth-long tournament that was sponsored by Ainamoi MP Benjamin Langat got playing uniforms while teams that were eliminated at the ward level each got a new ball. -Philip Yegon NAIROBI: Harambee Stars defender Eugene Asike has explained his decision to return to FKF Premier League outfit Tusker FC. The 29-yearold Asike left the Brewers in the middle of last season to sign for Swedish side IF Karlstad Fotboll. However, despite putting pen to paper a six-month contract with the side, Asike (pictured), has returned to Tusker and was named on the bench during Tusker’s 1-1 Premier League draw against Kariobangi Sharks at Ruaraka grounds over the weekend. Asike has lifted the lid on his decision to return to the Ruaraka-based outfit blaming it on unresolved contractual matters. “I made the decision to come back to Tusker because I have a few contractual issues with my club in Sweden,” said Asike. He, also, believes that with the kind of experience that he has, he will be able to help Tusker challenge for the title. “It feels great to be back home. I’m happy to come back, but I have met many new faces, so I am still trying to get to know them. What has impressed me during my shortest stay around is the hunger by the new players. -Dennis Mabuka FOOTBALL Tusker’s veteran defender Asike returns amidst contract dispute FOOTBALL Lisbase clinches Benja Cup in nailbiting penalty shootout
Tuesday, September 5, 2023 / PEOPLE DAILY PEOPLE SPORT 29 by Lucky Oluoch @LuckyOluoch Jasmeet Singh Chana, alias “Iceman,” is gearing up for the upcoming Mombasa Rally on the weekend of September 9 and 10 at the Mombasa Cement factory grounds in North Coast’s Vipingo, feeling inspired by his impressive performance in the Kenya National Rally Championship (KNRC) season so far. Currently leading the KNRC standings with a 67-point advantage, he’s eyeing his maiden KNRC title, especially after his recent victory in Eldoret. His competitors, McRae Kimathi and Jeremiah Wahome, are trailing behind with 79 and 54 cumulative points, respectively. Iceman, sponsored by Rubis Energy Kenya, is heading to the Mombasa Rally with great confi dence and optimal settings for his Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X. Iceman anticipates fun stages in Mombasa and is prepared to attack if the conditions allow, though safety remains a priority, especially with the prospect of night stages. “Our aim as I said is always going to drive at our best. The pressure is not on us. The pressure is on my competitors. The essence is to make sure that we are at the podium fi nishing and gaining more points,” said Jasmeet. Leading the championship without having won it before adds an element of uncertainty for Iceman, but he’s focused on maintaining his car’s top shape and fi nishing every event at the podium. He acknowledges the importance of Rubis Energy Kenya’s sponsorship, which has signifi cantly boosted his championship campaign. “I would like to thank the Rubis Energy Kenya Limited for coming on board and supporting my championship bid. It’s been a great deal for me to get a corporate sponsor since the WRC Safari Rally, and this has made a big difference to my championship campaign. The results are there.” Additionally, Clerk of the Course Roy Mckenzie has introduced night stages for the Mombasa Rally, consisting of two 22km stages with an intermediate hold between them. These night stages will take place on Saturday, September 9, starting at 8pm, while the rest of the itinerary continues on Sunday, September 10, with cars going to the overnight Parc Ferme inside the Mombasa Cement Factory. Iceman ready to blaze trails at Mombasa Rally as Kimathi, Wahome go in pursuit of his KNRC throne by Shadrack Andenga @PeopleSports11 Umoja estate basketball under-16 boys’ team dominated round eight of the Frutz Junior Basketball League when they hammered Runda estate 55-28 at the State House Road basketball courts in Nairobi over the weekend. Speaking to People Sport, Umoja’s head coach Michael Omondi was in a jovial mood fi nishing the weekend on a high note. “We are taking it step by step as we nurture these kids into future national team players. Winning this league is important to us and to Umoja estate at large since basketball is not popular there as compared to football and boxing,” said Omondi who added that it is high time the devolved County governments invested in indoor sporting facilities so as to promote indoor sports among the youth. League founder and coordinator Zedekiah Otieno also expressed confi dence in developing basketball among Nairobi youth saying that the national team will benefi t hugely from youth leagues, an initiative that he hopes can work across the country. Saturday matches saw Hoop 4 Kids losing by 1 -24 against Little Prince as FEBA beat Runda 28- 15 who went ahead to lose their second match again against Umoja 55-28 while Vikapu B also lost against Hoop 4 Kids 30-35. On Sunday, a tough Shauri Moyo started their round eight campaign by thrashing Little Prince 32-26 as Vikapu lost to Little Prince 23-25 in the girls category. The under-14 category saw Vikapu win 30-22 against Little Prince, Runda 30 beat Vikapu B 30-26 and Vikapu A win against Fundamentor 45-27. The other highlights of the day saw Fundamentor narrowly lose to Runda 25-26 as Umoja continued with their dominance s they beat the u-16 Fundamentor 46-25. Little Prince summed up the day with a 26-19 win over Slums Dunk as Vikapu closed the day against Fundamentor by winning 30-17 in the girls category. The league continues next weekend at the same venue even as estate coaches now lament the resumption of boarding schools, an issue that affects some teams as their top players have to go back and study in the residential Schools meaning that the gaps left offer an opportunity to recruit others and also popularizing basketball. Umoja estate overwhelm Runda in Frutz junior basketball league clash The girls’ category of the Frutz’ Junior Basketball League in action over the weekend at State House Road basketball court in Nairobi. PD/SHADRACK ANDENGA High-stakes showdown Kenya National Rally Championship (KNRC) winnerJasmeet Chana powers into a river crossing during a past event. PD/ PHILIP KAMAKYA Juja MP Goerge Koimburi handing over uniforms to a player. PD/MATHEW NDUNGU by Mathew Ndung’u @PeopleSports11 Over 130 teams are set to compete in football and volleyball tournaments in Juja, Kiambu County. The football contest will feature 118 teams, while 21 teams will participate in volleyball. The unique competition will see the winning male and female teams from Juja constituency face off against the best teams from three other constituencies in central Kenya and Rift Valley. Juja MP George Koimburi, during the tournament launch, provided uniforms, balls, and other items, emphasizing how the event will engage youth, keeping them away from substance abuse while promoting lifelong health and fi tness. The three-week tournament, culminating in a championship with Nakuru County teams, offers Sh100,000 and trophies to the top Juja teams. Koimburi encouraged locals to attend Sunday matches and highlighted the importance of using such events to educate youngsters about the perils of illicit brews and drug abuse. Koimburi also advocated for an increase in the NG-CDF sports allocation to support and nurture young talents at the village level, stating that the current 2 per cent allocation is insuffi cient for sports development across constituencies. “We have been having this discussion in parliament because 2% of what is allocated to every constituency for development of sports has never been enough. We are asking the NG-CDF board to help us increase this kitty to help us reach more talents at the village level besides football and volleyball. We have very talented swimmers, skaters, tennis players among other sportsmen whom we don’t support because of the small allocation,” said Koimburi. Participants, including Joshua Ayogo from Kenyatta Road Bodaboda FC, expressed how the tournament would keep them busy, away from drugs, and raise awareness about sports as a career and fi tness activity. Benson Karanja, another player, highlighted the long-term benefits of talent development through the tournament. Juja MP calls for increased support for village-level sports
30 PEOPLE SPORT PEOPLE DAILY / Tuesday, September 5, 2023 Miami, Monday @PeopleDailyKe Inter Miami faced Los Angeles in front of a starstudded audience that only Tinseltown can offer but Lionel Messi (pictured) delivered two assists in a performance worthy of the Hollywood stage. Despite Messi’s fairytale arrival in Miami, the Herons still faced a challenge to make the MLS playoffs but they kept the blockbuster plot alive with a 3-1 win over the reigning MLS Cup champions Sunday night. LAFC had Miami on the back foot almost immediately after the whistle but Facundo Farias tore up the script, opening the scoring against the pace of play in the 14th minute. Jordi Alba doubled the Herons’ lead shortly after the break before Messi set Leonardo Campana to all but seal the win. However, Ryan Hollingshead had tried to had a lifeline to the hosts as he pulled one back in the 90th minute but it came a little to late as LAFC failed to rally enough to threaten Miami. Miami is now unbeaten in 11 matches across all competitions since Messi joined the club in mid-July. Sunday’s match though will be Messi’s last with Miami for at least the next two weeks. The 36-year-old will be part of Argentina’s World Cup qualifiers against Ecuador on Thursday and Bolivia five days later Messi has 11 goals and eight assists for Miami, which is eight points out of a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference with eight regular-season matches remaining. Miami’s visit to the defending MLS Cup champions was marked as one of the highlight games since Messi signed. It was viewed by 22,921 fans, a record for LAFC’s BMO Stadium. It also vaulted into one of the most-demanded tickets in MLS’ 27-year history. According to TickPick, the average purchase price for the match was $717, which was 515 percent more than the $110 before he signed. -BBC Lionel Messi helps Inter Miami beat Los Angeles FC RUGBY PAGE 28 How Nondies reigned supreme to register irst win in 23 years at Tisap Sevens in Eldoret STANDINGS ITALIA SERIE A GERMAN BUNDESLIGA ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE SPANISH LA LIGA FRENCH LIGUE 1 London, Monday @PeopleDailyKe Gabriel Jesus (pictured) wants to kick on and get his rhythm back after the Arsenal striker scored for the first time since overcoming a nagging, frustrating knee issue. The 26-year-old impressed after joining from Manchester City last summer but was laid low in December with an injury sustained in Brazil’s World Cup group game against Cameroon. Jesus did not return to action for Arsenal until mid-March and had to go back under the knife last month due to irritation with the original knee problem. The striker made his second substitute appearance since then on Sunday, when he completed a memorable late 3-1 Premier League comeback win against Manchester United. “I’m feeling good,” Jesus said after the Emirates Stadium triumph. “It’s tough when you just come back from injury. “After a holiday, I started to feel in my knee again. It was unlucky for me. It’s tough. “After pre-season, you go and try but you feel in pain. And then I made the decision to do surgery as quickly as possible to come back stronger. “That was tough, but now I’m getting back. It’s so important to get the rhythm again, so, yeah. I’m back. I feel good and I’m happy.” Jesus says he felt completely fine at the end of last season and only once felt his knee play up at the end of a training session, but even then it felt fine the next day. His right knee continued to feel fine during his post-season holiday and the start of pre-season, only for the issue to flare up again. -FotMob Arsenal’s Brazilian forward hopes he has seen the last of knee niggles TEAM GP W D L F A PTS 1 Man City 4 4 0 0 11 2 12 2 Spurs 4 3 1 0 11 4 10 3 Liverpool 4 3 1 0 9 3 10 4 West Ham 4 3 1 0 9 4 10 5 Arsenal 4 3 1 0 8 4 10 6 Brighton 4 3 0 1 12 6 9 7 C Palace 4 2 1 1 5 4 7 8 Brentford 4 1 3 0 8 5 6 9 Nottm Forest 4 2 0 2 6 6 6 10 Aston Villa 4 2 0 2 8 9 6 11 Man Utd 4 2 0 2 5 7 6 12 Chelsea 4 1 1 2 5 5 4 13 Fulham 4 1 1 2 4 10 4 14 Newcastle 4 1 0 3 7 7 3 15 Wolves 4 1 0 3 4 8 3 16 Bournemouth4 0 2 2 4 8 2 17 Sheff Utd 4 0 1 3 4 7 1 18 Everton 4 0 1 3 2 8 1 19 Luton 3 0 0 3 2 9 0 20 Burnley 3 0 0 3 3 11 0 1 Real Madrid 4 4 0 0 8 2 12 2 Girona 4 3 1 0 7 2 10 3 Barcelona 4 3 1 0 8 4 10 4 Atlético 3 2 1 0 10 1 7 5 A Bilbao 4 2 1 1 6 4 7 6 Cadiz 4 2 1 1 5 4 7 7 Real Betis 4 2 1 1 5 5 7 8 R.Sociedad 4 1 3 0 7 5 6 9 Alaves 4 2 0 2 5 5 6 10 Osasuna 4 2 0 2 5 5 6 11 Valencia 4 2 0 2 4 4 6 12 R.Vallecano 4 2 0 2 4 8 6 13 Celta Vigo 4 1 1 2 4 6 4 14 Getafe 4 1 1 2 2 5 4 15 Villarreal 4 1 0 3 6 9 3 16 Granada 4 1 0 3 7 12 3 17 Mallorca 4 0 2 2 3 5 2 18 Las Palmas 4 0 2 2 1 3 2 19 Almeria 4 0 1 3 4 9 1 20 Sevilla 3 0 0 3 5 8 0 1 Monaco 4 3 1 0 13 5 10 2 PSG 4 2 2 0 8 3 8 3 Marseille 4 2 2 0 7 4 8 4 Reims 4 2 1 1 8 5 7 5 Lille 4 2 1 1 5 5 7 6 Brest 4 2 1 1 5 5 7 7 Rennes 4 1 3 0 8 4 6 8 Nice 4 1 3 0 4 2 6 9 Strasbourg 4 2 0 2 4 6 6 10 Le Havre 4 1 2 1 8 6 5 11 Lorient 4 1 2 1 5 5 5 12 Toulouse 4 1 2 1 5 6 5 13 Metz 4 1 2 1 6 9 5 14 Montpellier 4 1 1 2 7 7 4 15 Nantes 4 0 2 2 5 8 2 16 Clermont 4 0 1 3 4 9 1 17 Lens 4 0 1 3 4 10 1 18 Lyon 4 0 1 3 3 10 1 1 Leverkusen 3 3 0 0 11 3 9 2 Bayern 3 3 0 0 9 2 9 3 Stuttgart 3 2 0 1 11 5 6 4 RB Leipzig 3 2 0 1 10 4 6 5 Union Berlin 3 2 0 1 8 5 6 6 Hoffenheim 3 2 0 1 7 5 6 7 Wolfsburg 3 2 0 1 5 4 6 8 Freiburg 3 2 0 1 3 6 6 9 Dortmund 3 1 2 0 4 3 5 10 E.Frankfurt 3 1 2 0 2 1 5 11 W.Bremen 3 1 0 2 4 5 3 12 Augsburg 3 0 2 1 7 9 2 13 VfL Bochum 3 0 2 1 3 8 2 14 Cologne 3 0 1 2 2 4 1 15 Heidenheim 3 0 1 2 4 7 1 16 M’gladbach 3 0 1 2 5 9 1 17 Mainz 3 0 1 2 2 9 1 18 Darmstadt 3 0 0 3 2 10 0 1 Inter 3 3 0 0 8 0 9 2 AC Milan 3 3 0 0 8 2 9 3 Juventus 3 2 1 0 6 1 7 4 Lecce 3 2 1 0 6 3 7 5 Atalanta 3 2 0 1 6 2 6 6 Napoli 3 2 0 1 6 3 6 7 Verona 3 2 0 1 4 4 6 8 Fiorentina 3 1 1 1 6 7 4 9 Bologna 3 1 1 1 3 4 4 10 Frosinone 3 1 1 1 3 4 4 11 Torino 3 1 1 1 2 4 4 12 Lazio 3 1 0 2 3 4 3 13 Sassuolo 3 1 0 2 3 5 3 14 Genoa 3 1 0 2 2 5 3 15 Monza 3 1 0 2 2 5 3 16 Salernitana 3 0 2 1 3 5 2 17 Udinese 3 0 2 1 1 4 2 18 Roma 3 0 1 2 4 6 1 19 Cagliari 3 0 1 2 1 4 1 20 Empoli 3 0 0 3 0 5 0 Jesus exorcises ‘Devils’ SELECTED WEEKEND EPL RESULTS: Crystal Palace 3-2 Wolves Liverpool 3-0 Aston Villa Arsenal 3-1 Man United Saturday: Burnley 2-5 Tottenham Sheff Utd 2-2 Everton Brentford 2-2 Bournemouth Chelsea 0-1 Nottm Forest Man City 5-1 Fulham Brighton 3-1 Newcsatle Friday: Luton 1-2 West Ham 1-4 LYON Tolisso 74’ (Pen) French League 1 PSG Mbappe 4’ (Pen), 45+2’ Hakimi 20’ Asensio 38’
Tuesday, September 5, 2023 / PEOPLE DAILY PEOPLE SPORT 31 by Dennis Mabuka @PeopleDailyKe Kariobangi Sharks head coach William Muluya believes his side deserved to carry the day against Tusker during their 1-1 Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Premier League draw at Ruaraka grounds on Saturday. It was Tusker, who started the game on a high note with new signing Fabian Adikiny coming close to opening the scoring in the 25th minute with a free header before Sharks’ goalkeeper Bernard Jairo made two vital saves in the 32nd and 43rd minutes to keep his side in the game. However, the second half witnessed a shift in momentum as Sharks took an early lead in the 56th minute through Keith Imbali’s welltaken effort but the Brewers kept pressing and they were rewarded in the 82nd minute when Levin Opiyo’s cross into the area took a deflection off a Sharks defender to find the back of the net. According to Muluya, his side should blame themselves for the shared points because they created many scoring chances in the first half which they could have converted into goals. “In the first half we played the best football, we created many chances, we were on top of the game, we controlled Tusker but our main undoing was to score and kill off the game,” said Muluya, adding: “Had we taken good use of our first half chances, the result could have been very different in our favour.” Muluya further admitted he was left gutted that his players could not stop Tusker from nicking the equalizer after they had taken the lead in the opening stages of the second half. “We managed to score and take the lead ahead of them, but I was not happy because we crumbled under pressure and allowed them to get the leveler. Tusker is not a small team, and when playing against them, you must be very careful, you must guard your area well, but we never did that and they snatched the draw.” Muluya further praised Tusker by saying: “Tusker is a team with a lot of history and they have quality players, last season they finished second on the table and whenever you have a chance to score against them, then it is good that you take it, our main undoing was missed chances.” Sharks kicked off their season with a 0-0 draw against Kenya Police while Tusker defeated Bandari 1-0 way in Mombasa. After the Fifa break, Sharks will return to action against KCB at Utalii grounds on September 17 while the Brewers will travel to face Kakamega Homeboyz at Bukhungu Stadium. by Dennis Mabuka @PeopleDailyKe Kakamega Homeboyz coach Patrick Odhiambo believes their 1-0 FKF Premier League defeat against promoted side Murang’a Seal FC should serve as a wake-up call to his players ahead of their next matches in the 2023-24 campaign. Abana Baingo returned to the top-flight following their exit from the Caf Confederation Cup with an away defeat after Murang’a Seal scored in the 89th minute Titus Kapchanga to bag maximum points. Homeboyz were yet to play in the league as they saw their opening fixture against KCB shelved to allow them to face Al Hilal Benghazi in the return leg of the inter-club competition. However, Homeboyz suffered a 4-1 humiliating defeat to exit the competition on a 4-1 aggregate scoreline, having settled for a 0-0 draw in the first leg contest at Nyayo Stadium. And their return to the league action was not what they could expect as Murang’a continued with their fine start to the campaign with the slim win. “It was not the kind of start I was looking for and it is not good for us to start as we did,” admitted Odhiambo, adding: “Losing the opener is not a positive thing and this should be a wake-up call to my players, we need to understand where we got it wrong and react as quickly as we can.” On the game, Odhiambo said: “To me, I think we put up a good display, created numerous chances that we could not put away and Murang’a Seal having already played in the league (against Shabana) looked a bit organised, they got their chance and took it, so it was a difficult game, decided by one goal but I insist my players should look beyond the game with a positive reaction.” Odhiambo further welcomed the Fifa international break saying it will give his team time to digest the defeat and work on the mistakes they committed before their second match of the season. “The Fifa break has come at a good time for us, we need to relook at how we played against Murang’a and see where we went wrong, we need to rectify the mistakes as quickly as we can in readiness for our next matches, we will use the break for so many things, but most important digest the outcome of the defeat.” Kariobangi Sharks deserved to beat Tusker, Muluya says Max Verstappen reacts after winning his tenth consecutive Formula One race in Monza. COURTESY/ TWITTER Monday, Monza @PeopleDailyKe Max Verstappen accomplished yesterday what no driver has managed in 73 years of Formula One. He won his 10th straight race. And you would have thought he’d be feted with hosannas. But in the Mercedes motorhome the historic feat went down like polonium. So much so that Toto Wolff lost all semblance of sportsmanship when he dismissed the world champion’s invincibility as ‘completely irrelevant’ and ‘for Wikipedia’. We know that top-level sport is gangland tough, but this was a truly charmless response. And the root of the slight is Wolff’s pathological unwillingness to concede that anyone could possibly be better than his own Lewis Hamilton. The debate over who is the greatest racer of their time remains to be settled, but right now Verstappen is the best on the planet. Sixth-placed Hamilton’s performance in this Italian Grand Prix, by contrast, contained a clumsy collision. Perhaps that hard disparity on the day was bugging Wolff when he said: ‘For me these kinds of records are completely irrelevant. They were irrelevant in our good days in Mercedes. I don’t know how many races we won in a row. I did not even know there was a count of how many in a row you win. ‘I don’t know if he cares about the records. It is not something that would be important for me. It is for Wikipedia, and nobody reads that anyway.’ Wolff just about squeezed out some faint praise, adding: ‘The result itself shows a great driver in a great car competing on an extremely high level.’ Earlier in the weekend, Hamilton compared the standard of Verstappen’s team-mates unfavourably to his own over the years (which was intermittently true). Verstappen told Dutch journalists he believed his old rival was ‘jealous’. It certainly sounded that way when the seven-time world champion was asked to comment on the perfect 10. When put to him that Valtteri Bottas may have prevented him reaching a similar landmark, Hamilton replied: ‘I had strong team-mates. ‘Valtteri was quick a lot of times. I don’t care about statistics in general, but good for him.’ Said the man who nearly quit the sport because he hasn’t managed an eighth world title. By the way, Bottas was no better than Sergio Perez, Verstappen’s very competent if understandably confidence-bruised team-mate who took second place here, ahead of Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz. Verstappen claims record-breaking tenth consecutive win Rueing missed chances FULL LIST OF KENYAN MEDALISTS: KCB 1-0 AFC Leopards Kenya Police 0-3 Posta Rangers Sofapaka 0-1 Bandari Muhoroni Youth 1-1 Nzoia Sugar Talanta 1-1 Shabana Tusker 1-1 K. Sharks Murang’a Seal 1-0 KK Homeboyz Ulinzi Stars 0-1 Gor Mahia Bidco United 1-1 Nairobi City Stars Murang’a Seals players celebrate after winning their match against Kakamega Homeboyz on Sunday. COURTESY/ MURANGA SEAL Tusker defender Mike Kibwage (left) vies for the ball against Kariobangi Sharks winger Julius Masaba during their FKF Premier League match at Ruraka Stadium at the weekend. PD/ DAVID NDOLO Homeboyz defeat against Murang’a Seal a wake-up call, coach Odhiambo says
Tuesday, September 5, 2023 / / / @PeopleDailyKe / / / People Daily Download QR Code app on Google Play and scan this QR code with your smart phone for pictures, videos and more stories People Daily is published by Mediamax Network Limited at DSM Place, Kijabe Street, P.O. Box 24943, 00100 - Nairobi, Tel: 0730144100; 0709824000; 0204944100 Fax: 2228503 Nairobi and printed at our Printing Division on Mombasa Road, Tel: 04522641. Circulation: Union Towers, 1st Floor, Moi Avenue. Tel: 2519168. Advertising 2227693, 2228493. E-mail: [email protected] or [email protected] Copyright 2023. All rights reserved. Sancho says he is ‘a scapegoat’ after being dropped by Man Utd MANCHESTER: Jadon Sancho says he has been “a scapegoat for a long time” after Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag said he was dropped for Sunday’s game at Arsenal because of poor training performance. The England forward did not travel to Emirates Stadium for the game, which United lost 3-1. Ten Hag said Sancho had not reached the “level” required to be included. “Please don’t believe everything you read,” Sancho wrote on social media. “I will not allow people saying things that is completely untrue, I have conducted myself very well in training this week. “I believe there are other reasons for this matter that I won’t go into, I’ve been a scapegoat for a long time which isn’t fair!” Sancho, 23, moved to Old Trafford from Borussia Dortmund for £73m in 2021. However, he has struggled for consistent form and has scored nine league goals and provided just six assists in his 58 appearances. -BBC NEWYORK: Novak Djokovic enjoyed a smooth passage into the US Open quarter-finals as he won in straight sets to end Croatian qualifier Borna Gojo’s surprise run. Second seed Djokovic continued his bid for a record-equalling 24th major title with a 6-2 7-5 6-4 win in New York. “I did well in the important moments and I’m pleased to get through in three sets,” said three-time winner Djokovic. The 36-year-old Serb will play ninth seed Taylor Fritz, who is one of three American men in the quarter-finals. Fritz, 25, won 7-6 (7-2) 6-4 6-4 against Swiss qualifier Dominic Stricker, joining Frances Tiafoe and Ben Shelton in progressing on Sunday. Tiafoe, 25, beat Australia’s Rinky Hijikata 6-4 6-1 6-4 to set up a last-eight meeting with Shelton, guaranteeing at least one home player in the semi-finals. Shelton, 20, beat 14th seed Tommy Paul 6-4 6-3 4-6 6-4 as three American men reached the quarter-finals for the first time since 2005. Fritz, Tiafoe and Shelton are each bidding to become the first man from the host nation to win the singles title since Andy Roddick in 2003. In order for Fritz to emulate Roddick, he will have to find a way past Djokovic first. -BBC Novak Djokovic, Frances Tiafoe, Taylor Fritz and Ben Shelton in New York quarter finals London, Monday @PeopleDailyKe Mo Farah’s final race in his home city of London ended with the four-time Olympic champion finishing fourth in The Big Half. The 40-year-old (pictured) stayed in touch with the leading pack for the first half of Sunday’s elite men’s race but dropped back after about 30 minutes. Jack Rowe claimed victory in a personal best of one hour one minute 8 seconds, with Farah clocking 1:02:43. Calli Thackery won the elite women’s race in 1:09:15. Rose Harvey (1:10:02) was 47 seconds behind Thackery in second and Abbie Donnelly was third in 1:10:31. Mahamed Mahamed led for much of the men’s race but finished eight seconds down after being dropped by Rowe in the final stages, while Andrew Butchart (1:02:15) was third. Farah, who has six world titles to go with his four Olympic golds, was next to finish and has confirmed he will retire after competing at the Great North Run on 10 September. “It was quite emotional because I haven’t been feeling well this week as I’ve got a bit of a cold,” said Farah. “I wasn’t sure if I could do the race but I was thinking of all the people that came out here and that I’m not going to get another chance. “I came out today and gave my best but you can’t take anything away from Jack. He’s been working hard for the last three years and he deserved that win.” He added: “When you achieve everything, it must come to an end at some point. I’m getting on a bit.” David Weir won the men’s wheelchair race after a sprint finish with Danny Sidbury, with Johnboy Smith in third. There was also a close finish in the women’s equivalent as Samantha Kinghorn claimed victory from Eden Rainbow-Cooper, with Mel Woods third. -BBC ‘Emotional’ Mo Farah finishes fourth in final race of his career by Vincent Voiyoh @PeopleDailyKe Kenya national men football team Harambee Stars is still work in progress according to head coach Engin Firat ahead of the crucial 2026 World Cup Qualifiers commencing this November with Gabon and Seychelles assignments. Firat who will be guiding Stars to yet another World Cup qualifying campaign says the build-up games the has played thus far under his tutelage has helped him to establish a base for the national outfit, adding that the work will continue going into the penultimate stage. “I understand that in Africa we are not really patient and I don’t know if we will be at the level which I want by November but this process has to go on with us even when the World Cup and the Africa Cup of Nations Qualifiers begin. The process will not stop, it will be ongoing,” Firat said. Harambee Stars hit day three in the camp today at Kasarani with full focus on immediate outings against Qatar on Thursday in Doha and South Sudan next Tuesday. Skipper Michael Olunga joined the camp yesterday and was part of the morning training session. Ayub Timbe Masika who is returning to the national team for the first time in three years had a knock on his left foot last week in training, a day before his side Nanjing City drew 1-1 against Wuxi Wuguo in the Chinese second division league. Coach Firat revealed that Timbe will join the rest of the team in Doha on Wednesday. Midfielder Kenneth Muguna remains a doubt for the Doha fixture although he reported to camp and was due for further check-up last evening on the injury he got while playing for Police FC on Friday against Posta Rangers. Alfred Scriven (IL Hodd, Norway), Ian Otieno (Zesco United, Zambia) and Clarke Oduor (Bradford City, England) also took part in thewa morning session yesterday. Firat coy over Stars chances Harambee Stars head coach Engin Firat addresses journalists during a press conference in Nairobi yesterday. PD/ DAVID NDOLO Coach says building a formidable team is work in progress as he prepares boys for crucial qualifiers against Ivory Coast, Gabon, Gambia, Seychelles and Burundi