Moi Stadium, Kisumu – July 12
In one of the most remarkable underdog stories in recent school football memory, Agai Mixed Secondary School from Nyakach, Kisumu County, have been crowned the Nyanza Region Boys Football Champions after defeating hosts Kisumu Boys 2-0 in a high-stakes final held at Moi Stadium.
The win not only earned Agai Mixed their first-ever regional crown, but also secured them a spot at the Kenya Secondary Schools Sports Association (KSSSA) National Championships, scheduled to kick off in Kakamega on July 27.
Few had tipped Agai Mixed Secondary to go far in a competition that included regional heavyweights like St. Mary’s School Yala and Kisumu Boys. But after a shaky start, the Nyakach-based school turned their campaign into a dream journey.
They were drawn in Pool B and began their campaign on the wrong foot, falling 2-0 to St. Mary’s Yala of Siaya County. However, they bounced back impressively, thrashing Rapogi School from Migori 4-1, before dispatching Gekendo Secondary from Kisii County 4-0 to seal a place in the semifinals.
In the last four, they faced Karabok Mixed Secondary from Homabay County. Agai controlled the match from start to finish, emerging 2-0 winners thanks to a disciplined defensive display and clinical finishing in front of goal.
The final pitted Agai against Kisumu Boys, who had edged past St. Mary’s Yala in a dramatic semifinal that ended 1-1 in regulation time before Kisumu triumphed 5-4 on penalties.
But Agai Mixed were not fazed by either the crowd or the occasion. They kept their composure and outplayed Kisumu Boys with a tactical masterclass, securing a 2-0 victory and writing their name into the region’s football folklore.
The team will now shift focus to the National Championships in Kakamega, where they’ll carry Nyanza’s hopes against the best from other regions.>
“We started with a defeat, but the boys believed. This is a dream come true,” said the team’s head coach after the final.
From group-stage underdogs to regional kings, Agai Mixed Secondary School are proving that belief, teamwork, and resilience can beat pedigree. The next chapter of their fairy tale awaits in Kakamega.
