On October 7, 2006, four Africa soccer teams raided Worcester, MA,  in a spirited display of
sporting muscle.  This was  the version of the African Cup of Nations on American soil. 

 The tournament comprised of 5 teams of Africans from different countries living in Massachusetts,
USA. The Boston-based teams from Kenya and Tanzania competed against  three Worcester-based
teams of Ghana, Liberia, and Kenya2. 

                                        The Teams Parade Below for Team Photos

Kenya 'Harambee Stars' 1
 
Tanzania 'Taifa Stars'

Ghana 'Black Stars'

Kenya 'Harambee Stars' II

Liberia Lone 'Stars'

To the disappointment of its fans, Ivory Coast, the sixth team, never showed up. 
The fans that ajabuafrica.com talked to expressed shock at the missing team, saying it was
a missed opportunity for them to participate in the tournament, whose main objective was to raise
funds for the Monrovia-based Girls’ Soccer Association. 

On cue from the referee’s whistle,  Kenyans from Boston  and Tanzania were the first to go at
each other, this being a  second duel of the two teams in less than a month.  On September 9,
2006,  Tanzanians felled the Kenyans 1-0,  during the Thomson Island Soccer Tournament,   
off Boston harbor.

At the end of regulation time, the Kenya-Tanzania interface ended on a 1-1 draw,  with Felix
Mboya converting a spot kick for Kenya,  and Kizito equalizing for “Taifa Stars,” prompting a
penalty shootout. Tanzania went on to win  5-4 after a Kenyan shot wide one of the spot kicks.
 
Kenyan striker, Felix Mboya outpaces 3 Tanzanian Defenders.right;The Kenyan bench dumbfounded by the
proceedings.

 In the second match, Ghana’s  “Black Stars” took on Kenya 2 from Worcester.  Although the
Kenyans lost the match 1-2.  Manny and Derrick scored for Ghana while Junior Bargolo pulled
one back for the plucky Kenya 2.  Although Kenya 2 lost the game, many fans  credited the team
for their display of  the best style of soccer.  Back home, Kenyan teams have perennially
trailed with pathetic performances  in the African Cup of nations tournaments. .

  
Left, Kenya II goaliee kicks the ball .Right; A Ghanian defender unable to stop the hot shot from kenya II

After an early show of might for about 15 minutes, probably inspired by Kenya 2’s brilliant
performance, Kenya 1’s game rapidly degenerated into a  2-5 loss, with Liberia’s “Lone Stars”  
winning the third match.  It was not clear  from the Kenya 1 camp as to what led to such a
speedy thrashing.  At the end of the match, Kenya 1 was proverbially  ‘saved by the bell,’ when 
final whistle blew, bringing a break to the rain of shots past the rather short but persevering
goalkeeper, Timoo.
 
Left:Liberians staring at the ball behind the net after a Kenya I attack.Right;Kenya I goaleee well beaten.

In the first semi finals, Tanzania and Ghana ended in a goalless draw.  The game was pretty
much physical, with the tenacious East Africans  proving an equal match to the George Weah
Boyz.  Tanzania fans were left panting with expectation, when a last minute shot from their  team
 narrowly missed the Liberian goalmouth. The West Africans, however, advanced to the final
after winning the resulting nerve wracking penalty shoot out with 5-4.

 
Left, Ghanian midfielders drawing curves around the Tanzanian.Right;A Ghanian striker powers a penalty kick.

                      A Tanzanian dusty counter attack
The second semi final sent Kenya 2 to another loss against  Liberia,  2-1.  The Liberians had
the last laugh, given  their previous  ripping apart of Kenya 1.  Although the Kenyans put up a
spirited fight, their energies were destroyed, when the referee completely failed to award  them
2 penalty kicks, following  the Liberian two-time in-box handling of the ball.   The Kenyans
ended up fulfilling the common saying  that a miss is  as good as a loss.
 
Left,Ghanian goalkeeper scrambles to make a spectacular save while a manacing Kenyan striker waits for a tiny
error so he can cash in. Right,the late goal by the Liberians that sank Kenya II.

 Liberia qualified for the final match of the tournament against  fellow West Africans, Ghana. 
Both of them started off fast and furiously physical, probably motivated  by the urgency to score
a winning goal, before New England’s notoriously early descent of darkness in Fall season. 
Slightly shy of the end of  first half,   a Liberian player locked in a tight struggle got seriously hurt. 
Before  the first Aid team could finish with their procedures  on him,  darkness fell across the pitch. 
The scoreless game was  postponed to the end of October.  Tournament officials are yet to name
the actual date and time.
 
Fast, furious and physical,is what summed up the final match between Ghana and Liberia that is to be
replyed at a later date. 
  
Right, Faith holding her daughter Neema , had quality day out with her husband John who plays for Kenya I
Right, Prince Woods holding the winners' trophies while being mobbed by female fans.

The event organizer, prince woods from Liberia, who lives in worcester, thanked everyone for
attending the event  which helped further the cause of World Girls Soccer Association.He urged
more such  social activities that bring Africans living in America together inorder to have fun and
still promote causes of the Africans back in the motherland.

ajabuafrica.com will be there to cover the match live for you. Stay logged on!

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