All set for 'Road to Anfield' tourney

All is set for this year’s Standard Chartered Bank-sponsored ‘Road to Anfield’ football tournament.

The tournament will see the ultimate winner earn a ticket to Anfield, home of 18-time English Premier League (EPL) champions, Liverpool in May.

A total of 36 teams will participate in the one-day tourney scheduled for March 10 at St. Mary’s School in Nairobi with the winner heading to the United Kingdom for a fully paid four-day trip.

While at Merseyside, the team will represent Kenya at the worldwide Standard Chartered Trophy finals to be staged at 54,074-capacity Anfield stadium on May 17.

In addition, they will also attend an EPL match at the iconic Anfield as well as benefit from a professional training session with the Reds’ legends and coaches in preparation for the D-day.

“This has been one of the most successful tournaments we’ve held for the last five years. It’s an opportunity for us to invite our clients and media partners to participate in this exciting tourney for a chance to play other teams globally,” said Lamine Manjang, the Standard Chartered Bank Kenya and East Africa Chief Executive Officer.

EMBRACE SPORTSMANSHIP

Manjang, speaking during the official launch of the 2018 edition at the bank’s headquarters in Nairobi on Tuesday, urged the participants to embrace sportsmanship as they fight for the exciting chance to visit Liverpool.

“The good thing is that over the last five years we’ve had the fortune of a Kenyan team (Capital FM) win the global trophy at Anfield in 2015. We look forward to a fun-filled event and that in 2018 a Kenyan team will win it again,” he added.

Last year, Kenyan winners, Capital FM, lost the ticket to the UK after losing to Tanzania’s Anzania in the regional final but a change in format will see each country have a representative at Anfield.

The first 5-a-side football tournament was launched in 2013 to celebrate the sponsorship of Liverpool FC and give a once-in-a-life time experience to the bank’s clients and media partners.

The bank also sponsors the annual StanChart Nairobi Marathon, where all the proceeds from the event go to the ‘Seeing is Believing’ programme that helps blind people under the age of 15 years regain their sight.

Last year, Nation Media Group FC lost to eventual winners Capital FM in the quarterfinals but coach John Ashihundu believes they are well-equipped to go all the way this year.