Falling Waters on Sunday beat their arch-rivals Limuru Starlets 3-1 to successfully defend the Central region Chapa Dimba na Safaricom girls’ title.
Star player Jane Njeri struck twice in the finals to take her goals tally to six and defend the top scorer title she won in last year’s competition. Captain Miriam Lutomia scored the third goal for the Laikipia based side, while Limuru’s consolation goal was netted by Joy Kanja.
Determined to defend their title, Falling Waters threatened first through Naomi Nanjala in the second minute, when after beating several legs on the right, she sent a feeble shot direct into the waiting hands goalkeeper Susan Njeri.
Three successive corner-kicks by the Laikipia based side sent the message – that the coach Emman Wafula’s side were out to defend their title. It did not take long before their efforts paid off, as in the ninth minute, captain Lutomia collected a pass on the right to beat goalkeeper Njeri with a rising shot.
Limuru Starlets, who had promised to reclaim the title, responded almost immediate with long range efforts, but goalkeeper Eunice Alele denied them the equaliser.
In the 23rd minute, Njeri missed a chance to net her fifth goal of the competition to increase her chances of retaining the top scorers title.
Against Karima Queens in the semi-finals held on Saturday, she struck four times to help her side to a 12-0 win.
Four minutes after the half-hour mark, a miscommunication inside Limuru’s box costed Falling Waters a chance to stretch their lead.
For the season one winners, their struggle for an open goal scoring opportunity continued, the match going for the break with Falling Waters leading 1-0.
Coach James Kairu of Limuru made the first substitution of the match, bringing in Purity Nyambura Ruth Muthoni upon restart. But, the change looked not to have had much impact in the team, as their struggle to break Falling Waters defence continued.
Njeri finally bagged her fifth goal in the 66th minute after outpacing her marker to beat her namesake at Limuru’s goal with a low shot to the right. Six minutes later, Njeri grabbed a brace to place the match beyond their opponents reach from the spot after they were awarded a penalty.
Edna Kwamboka should have reduced the deficit in the 79th minute after they were awarded a free-kick at the edge of the box, but her strike went over the crossbar.
They finally found the back of Falling Water’s net through Kanja from the spot after they were awarded a penalty in the 81st minute.