Sharks, Everton Gift Kenya Festival To Remember In Fitting Tribute To Kadenge

NAIROBI, Kenya- In more ways than one, Sunday, July 7, 2019 will go down as a defining date in Kenyan football history on a day when the nation lost its most celebrated hero in the game, Joe Kadenge.

There could not have been a more fitting occasion to celebrate the life of the legendary icon than the landmark international friendly that saw 2019 SportPesa Cup winners, Kariobangi Sharks FC test the might of English Premier League (EPL) visitors Everton FC at a capacity parked cathedral of Kenyan football, the MISC Kasarani Stadium.

After a pulsating 1-1 draw, the teams had to be separated by the dreaded post-match penalty shootout that the Kenyan side won 4-3 sparking wild celebrations of mammoth proportions.

Dignitaries, celebrities and screaming fans made the occasion a day to remember as those gathered took pride in being part of history as what is good in local football, including the glittering career of Kadenge, was honoured in the most forceful fashion.

The biting cold of the July Kenyan 'winter' gave way to a bright sunny day as the weather too played its part in a glorious festival of football and rich entertainment.

It was always going to be a tough act for organisers to follow having filled Kasarani on May 13 last year when English second-tier Championship outfit, Hull City FC toured Kenya to play SportPesa Premier League (SPL) champions, Gor Mahia FC.

What transpired was a sold out affair that drew the largest crowd ever witnessed at the grand venue in over 21 years as officials a jaw-dropping attendance of 64,829 people- simply the biggest turn out in the 19-year existence of the team that rose from the low income estate of Kariobangi to international limelight.

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Sharks, the 2018 SportPesa Cup winners who are an emerging force on the domestic scene, do not have the pulling power of the 17-time league winners Gor but the stellar cast of manager Marco Silva's side proved to be an attraction that local supporters could simply not resist.

Kasarani was a sea of blue, green and yellow, the shared colours of both sides as they put their talent to display under a charged atmosphere that at the end of it all, left both teams with more admirers when they put a thrilling football show which Kadenge would have been proud off. 

Sharks, the team formed in 2000, had never played before such a huge crowd and it will take something spectacular from them to match Sunday's attendance that marked a great chapter in their history.

As early as 10am local time (+3GMT) - six hours to kick off- supporters had formed orderly and winding queues at Gate 12 where regular tickets holders waited patiently to fill in to the venue.

They were eager to see with their very own eyes visiting Everton stars among them, crowd-favourite Theo Walcott who almost brought the house down when the Blues number 9 was read out by stadium announcer, Tom Bwana.

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Midfielders Andre Gomes and former Manchester United FC ace Morgan Schneiderlin as well as exciting forward Ademola Lookman who were also loudly celebrated by the home fans with the visitors led out by the captain of the day, long-serving wingback Leighton Baines.

Love affair

What seemed like a dream a few years ago, the sight of an EPL team playing on Kenyan soil turned to reality in an affair that was nothing short of just reward to a nation where the English top flight is religiously followed.

It further cemented Everton's trail-blazing love affair with East Africa having beaten Gor 2-1 in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania two years ago as tens of thousands turned out to watch the heavyweights launch their 2019/20 pre-season as well as their new kit for the forthcoming campaign.

Amid tight security, the steady stream of supporters eventually turned into a flood of humanity as fans took their place inside the sporting amphitheater, creating a cauldron of noise, mixture of colour and fireworks with the Thika Road Super Highway jam-packed on Sunday afternoon as they came through.

Not to be outdone, over 200 supporters who travelled from England to cheer Everton mingled with local fans, hanging their blue and white banners at their allocated VIP stand 23, with catchy titles such as The Brick, Everton Speke Blues, The Salt Box, Ravens Waterloo, Chepstow Cast and Goodisong Glory.

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In the next tier, one Everton EPL rivals Arsenal FC fan had prepared a special banner dedicated to the Blues number 9 that read, "Theo Walcott, thank you for the 12 years," in homage to the spell the England international spent at the Gunners.

Before the start of the groundbreaking absorbing encounter, popular club deejay Exclusive kept the crowd in fine voice with a mash up of popular hits in a two hour show that fired up the carnival.

The first deafening roar of the day went up when Everton legends, Steve Pienaar and Leon Osman (on punditry duty for Everton TV) who have been in the country since Wednesday arrived to take their place, with the retired South Africa and England internationals soaking the adulation in return.

The five-man urban pop group, Sailors, then blew those present away with an energetic performance that proved why they are the hottest property in local entertainment at the moment, leading their cheering faithful into vocal renditions of their hits.

Some half an hour before kick-off, both teams streamed out for their pre-match warm up to another volley of screams, as those present feasted on the stars on parade and in a choreographed move, another chart-topping group, the Kansoul emerged for a surprise show, with the trio of Meja, Madtraxx and Kid Kora belting a set of their latest and old club bangers. 

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The Everton tour had been organised as an inspiration to local footballers to aim for the top of the international football pyramid and watching both sides go through their warm-up phases, the contrast was evident but the crowd did not focus on the minor details.

They opted to dance with vigour to the reggae and charting local tunes belting from the speakers before the Kansoul gave an encore performance.

A dance show by children from Juja Preparatory School was the last bit of pre-match entertainment before Everton, decked in their traditional blue and white strip and Sharks who wore an all-white away number took to the pristine pitch.

Proceedings got underway soon after a minute of silence was observed in honour of Kadenge and from the onset, the 2018 SportPesa Shield domestic cup champions matched whatever Everton threw at them much to the delight of home fans who were still streaming into the MISC to occupy the few spaces left in the sold out arena.

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The Blues were dealt a quick blow when Lookman went off injured before Sharks stunned Everton when Duke Abuya gave the Kenyans the lead midway through the first half with a goal that turned up the Kasarani volume to ear-splitting levels.

The ensuing celebrations told a story of their own, with Abuya joined by every member of their squad at the left corner of the pitch to toast an unforgettable moment for the forward and his team. 

Halt-time brought another round of entertainment, with the gleeful home supporters treated to an encore rendition by Sailors before self-styled Kenya 'Number One' football supporter, Juma took to the centre of the pitch to shoot three balls into an unguarded net, but he hilariously missed all three.

Local stand-up comedy stars, Jalango and Fred Omondi then participated in the crossbar challenge won by the former moments before the sides resumed play.

It took Everton less than 10 minutes of the second stanza to draw the visitors level with a wicked free-kick that arched over the Sharks wall and beat Brian Bwire all ends up from the foot of Joe Williams.

As expected in a pre-season friendly, a raft of substitutions were made by both coaches to give all their squad players a chance to shine in this grand stage before the supporters became animated when they thought Sharks should have had a penalty late on but referee Dennis Omweno waved play on. 

Harrison Mwendwa, who scored the winner for Sharks in their 1-0 win over Bandari FC that earned them the ticket to play the Blues was the man who went down in the box under a challenge in what proved to be his last contribution in the match, his coach bringing on James Mazembe in his place.

During the shootout, Sven Yidah antics after scoring his spot kick turned the record crowd after they saw another rendition of the celebration that went viral at the SportPesa Cup in Tanzania that went viral worldwide.

A great evening was capped when Sharks kept their cool to defeat their glamorous visitors, sparking off a party that spilled from the stadium to the streets.

The home side were then handed the SportPesa Trophy they won on the day in the bowels of Kasarani by SportPesa CEO, Captain Ronald Karauri to cap a breathless day where they made local and international news headlines.

SQUADS

Kariobangi Sharks FC 

Starting XI: Brian Bwire, Eric Juma (captain), Nixon Omondi, Geoffrey Lemu, Thomas Teka, Patillah Omoto, Sven Yida, Duke Abuya, Harrison Mwendwa, Patrick Otieno, Eric Kapaito

Subs: John Oyemba, George Abege, Julius Masaba, Michael Bodo, Bonface Onyango, Nicholas Omondi, Patrick Ngunyi, James Mazembe, Samuel Olwade, John Kuol

Head coach: William Muluya

Everton FC

Starting XI:  Maarten Stekelenburg, Callum Connolly, Mason Holgate, Lewis Gibson, Leighton Baines, Andre Gomes, Tom Davies, Morgan Schneiderlin, Oumar Niasse, Ademola Lookman, Theo Walcott. 

Subs: Jonas Lossl, Ryan Astley, Morgan Feeney, Antonee Robinson, Nathangelo Markelo, Nathan Broadhead, Josh Bowler, Joe Williams, Dennis Adeniran, Beni Baningime, Fraser Hornby.

Manager: Marco Silva

Referee: Davies Omweno

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