Abbas Khalif Super Cup Ends in Glory As South C Rangers Drive Away with 33-seater Bus

The curtains came down spectacularly on the inaugural Abbas Khalif Super Cup, a tournament that blended football drama, community pride, and life-changing rewards, as South C Rangers crowned a dream run by lifting the title and driving away with a 33-seater Isuzu bus. Played at the Ulinzi Sports Complex on Saturday, December 20, 2025, the pulsating final saw South C Rangers edge out a spirited State City side 1–0 in a fiercely contested encounter that kept thousands of Lang’ata residents on their feet until the final whistle. The defining moment arrived in the 58th minute, when diminutive but deadly forward Ali Maleche punished a rare lapse in State City’s defence. Chesting down a perfectly weighted cross inside the box, Maleche unleashed a thunderous finish into the far corner—sending the South C faithful into wild celebration and etching his name into tournament folklore. A Tournament Bigger Than Football: The Abbas Khalif Super Cup, organized in memory of the late Raila Amollo Odinga, kicked off on November 10, 2025, bringing together 40 teams from across Lang’ata’s five wards in a month-long football extravaganza marked by intensity, flair, and sportsmanship. Beyond the silverware, the tournament stood out for its unprecedented investment in grassroots football. Each participating team received Sh50,000 in facilitation and a full set of playing kits, a move that ensured professionalism, motivation, and equal footing for all teams from the opening whistle to the final. The grand prizes raised the bar even higher: 1. Champions: 33-seater Isuzu mini bus 2. Runners-up: 14-seater matatu 3. Third place: 14-seater matatu While debate has already emerged within the winning camps—some pushing to retain the vehicles for team transport and league logistics, others advocating for selling them and sharing the proceeds—the consensus is clear: the rewards are transformational. Fine Margins and Missed Chances: State City, stung by the lone goal, threw everything forward in search of an equaliser, creating several clear chances. However, wastefulness in front of the goal proved costly against a disciplined South C defence marshalled superbly by goalkeeper Kevin Masongo. South C Rangers, too, had opportunities to kill the game earlier, squandering two gilt-edged chances that would have put the contest beyond doubt. Still, when the final whistle blew, it was the Rangers who stood tall. In the third-place playoff, Kuwinda produced a ruthless display to thrash Akiba 3–0, earning themselves a 14-seater vehicle and further underlining the tournament’s competitive depth. Individual Brilliance Rewarded The competition also celebrated standout individual performances: 1. Goalkeeper of the Tournament: Kevin Masongo (South C Rangers) – five clean sheets 2. Most Valuable Player: Ali Maleche (South C Rangers) 3. Golden Boot: John Wambua (Kuwinda) – seven goals For Maleche, whose electric performances lit up the tournament, the MVP crown represents more than silverware. “This is just the beginning,” he hinted, eyes firmly set on a bigger professional breakthrough. A Vision for the Youth: Tournament patron Abbas Khalif, who is eyeing the Lang’ata parliamentary seat in 2027, said the Super Cup was deliberately designed as a tool for youth empowerment. “We are here to uplift young people and give them opportunities beyond the pitch. We will walk with them,” Khalif said. As the dust settles on a thrilling first edition, one thing is undeniable: The Abbas Khalif Super Cup has arrived—not just as a football tournament, but as a powerful platform for talent discovery, unity, and tangible community impact. And if this opening chapter is anything to go by, Lang’ata football fans can expect an even bigger spectacle in the years to come.