SCHOOLS: Agoro Sare thrash Tonga to retain Homa Bay County football title

Agoro Sare High School football players and staff celebrate after winning the 2024 Homa Bay County title.[Washington Onyango,Standard]

Agoro Sare High School are the 2024 Homa Bay County Secondary School football champions.

Agoro retained the football title after thrashing Tonga School 5-2 in a seven-goal thriller finals match played at the Raila Odinga Stadium in Homa Bay on Sunday.

Geoffrey Omondi and Joseph Odhiambo each bagged a brace in the win that sent the Homa Bay giants straight to the Nyanza Region finals slated for next month in Kisii School.

Omondi netted in the opening 10 minutes to give Agoro a 1-0 lead before Odhiambo made it 2-0 in the 20^th minute.

Five minutes later, John Ngicho completely took the game away from Tonga after stretching the lead to 3-0.

Tonga pulled a goal back to trail 3-1 at half time but they could not pull a shocker like they did on Friday when the stunned Agoro 1-0 in the preliminaries.

Instead, Omondi and Odhiambo grabbed their braces in the second half to seal the win despite Tonga also getting into the score sheet.

Speaking after the win, Agoro head coach Fredrick Akuku congratulated his boys for job well done and proving doubters wrong especially after a torrid start to the tournament.

“Losing and drawing in our two preliminary matches casted a dark shadow over us during the county games but I am extremely happy with how our boys bounced back to show Kenyans who the kings of football in Homa Bay are.

“We celebrate now but regional works begin next because we have to be ready for the regionals and defend our title,” said Akuku who helped Agoro dethrone Kisumu Day and win the Nyanza title for the first time.

Tonga School will also qualify for the regional finals courtesy of Agoro Sare being the defending champions.

According to the Nyanza Region Secondary School Sports Association (NRSSSA) Rules, the county where the defending regional champion comes form produces two teams at the regionals same as the county that hosts the finals each year.

Agoro Sare now joins Koderobara High School from Migori, Kisumu Day from Kisumu, Ambira from Siaya and Sameta and Ongicha both from Kisii in the regional finals.