Kariobangi sharks will be achieving a major milestone as they will welcome English club Everton at Kasarani stadium on 7th July for the Sportpesa Cup 2019 champions.
Kariobangi qualified for the friendlies after beating their compatriots Bandari FC 1-0 to lift the Sportpesa Cup for the first time.
Sharks triumphed in the eight-team tournament, which featured clubs from Kenya and Tanzania, to earn the right to face the Toffees.
Harrison Mwendwa’s 60th-minute strike proved decisive in the final at the National Stadium in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
📸: The Champions!#SportPesaCup #MakeItCount pic.twitter.com/38W0glZM9J
— SportPesa (@SportPesa) January 27, 2019
Everton have faced fellow Kenyan Premier League team Gor Mahia for the past two years after they secured successive SportPesa Cup victories.
But this time around, the street club from Kariobangi will be the ones to grace that memorable moment when they will be playing the English club.
While the whole Sharks squad will be looking forward to achieving this great milestone, it will be even greater for three notable players who have a had a rough journey towards this great moment.
John Kuol
John Chol John Kuol is a South Sudanese professional footballer who currently plays for Kariobangi Sharks as a defender.
The South Sudan-born defender was formerly playing for Chemelil Sugar from January 2018 to June 2018 before signing for Sharks for a three and a half contract.
The 19-year old came to Kenya on the back of her mother while running away from civil strife in South Sudan. He then moved to Ethiopia when life in Kakuma refugee camp proved difficult for them.
However, they came back to Kakuma and had the refugee status till last year December. Fortunately, he secured status in his own country after his brilliant play at Sharks.
The 19-year old joined the team the U23 team that was faced Uganda in Kampala in the Africa Qualifications for 2020 Olympics.
He was welcomed to the team by the President of South Sudan Football Association, Mr Francis Amin and other SSFA officials and Koul is currently the captain of the U23 South Sudan national team.
Playing against his biggest opposition (Everton) ever, will definitely make his dream come true.
Tom Teka
Tom Teka is a Kenyan professional footballer who plays for Kariobangi Sharks as a defender. Teka is a centre back born and bred in Webuye Town a place known as Wananchi.
The alumnus of Kakamega High School joined Nzoia at the start of 2018 season. Despite starting the season as a reverse player, he managed to break into the team when skipper Vincent Ngesa got injured and was a key player in the second leg.
In October 2018, Teka joined Sharks.
The 19-year old finished school two years ago and Kariobangi Sharks made him board an aeroplane for the first time during their Sportpesa Cup in Tanzania.
And now?
Tom Teka who had never travelled to Nairobi about two years ago will be facing the English club Everton in July, a dream that seems to have come too soon.
Patila Omoto
Patila Omoto is a Kenyan professional footballer who currently plays for Kariobangi Sharks as an attacking midfielder.
Omoto was born in March 2, 1995 in Nairobi. He joined Kariobangi Sharks in January 1, 2015 after rejection by big clubs for his flat-footedness.
The 24-year-old has been a key figure and one of the conductors of the Kariobangi Sharks Orchestra. But this ‘stone that the builders rejected’ is going to pen down history for playing an English club, an achievement that will take years for many players to reach.
What next?
All eyes are now set to see how the players will showcase their talents against their biggest opponents ever.