Garissa-based team Ifpo takes on Al-Hayat FC from Wajir in the final of the Chapa Dimba na Safaricom North Eastern. [Photo/twitter.com]
Garissa County home-based team Ifpo was stunned on Sunday by Al-Hayat FC from Wajir in the final of the Chapa Dimba na Safaricom North Eastern which was played at the Garissa University.
Al-Hayat FC came from three goals down to stun hosts Ifpo in the game which ended 3-3 in regular time to force the match to spot-kicks.
Al-Hayat FC goalkeeper, Hassan Mahat saved a spot-kick from the Garissa’s side while Ifpo player hit the bar in the sudden death penalty that determined the winner.
Ifpo dominated the match during the first half that saw Issack Abidiwali open the scoring in the 28th minute followed by another goal from Musa Rashid but they were reduced to 10 men after defender Derow Ahmed was sent-off for a bad tackle on an Al-Hiyat player.
The Garissa team was however not discouraged by the red card as the striker set-up Feisal Yussuf to net the third goal on the stroke of half-time for a 3-0 lead.
Al-Hiyat FC made a dramatic comeback after trailing 3-0 in the first half which was dominated by the Garissa side.
Immediately after halftime, Abdikhamad Khalid pulled one back for Al-Hayat before Ahmed Sabri, who was named the Most Valuable Player and top scorer with four goals, scored the second in the 52nd minute and 76th minute.
Al-Hayat FC will receive Sh200,000 from Safaricom after winning and they will now join teams from Rift Valley (Kapenguria Heroes), Eastern (Mwingi Boys) and Nyanza (Ombek Red Devils).
The teams have already qualified for the National finals which will be hosted in Nairobi in March with the overall winner to pocket Sh1 million and earn a fully paid trip to London where they will meet the Chapa Dimba na Safaricom ambassador Victor Wanyama at his Tottenham Hotspur club.