Kenya Academy of Sports to foster relationship with Spanish side FC Barcelona

Kenya Academy of Sports is looking forward to fostering a cordial relationship with European football heavyweights FC Barcelona in areas of football development.

On Sunday afternoon, the Kenya Academy of Sports Chief Executive Officer Doreen Odhiambo met with Barcelona President Joan Laporta at the club’s headquarters here in Barcelona.

Gimnàstic de Tarragona Football Club General Manager Jose Maria and Nastic Sports Academy General Manager Javier Ornia were also present at the meeting that has been termed as fruitful.

“It was a very good meeting, that is not a place you just walk in, it requires an official invite. Of course, Laporta knew about our visit there and he was elated to receive us at Barcelona. He (Laporta) is a good person who is open to new ideas. We are looking forward to having a great relationship with the club, we can succeed through the agreement we are going to seal with the Nastic Sports Academy or even we can have our own direct link with Barcelona and this will mean a lot to our young talented players. For sure we are open to corporations that will lift the levels of our players,” Odhiambo told People Sport.

On Saturday night,the Talanta Hela players who are in Spain for the Costa Daurada Cup and elite training camps were given a lifetime treatment after they were taken to the iconic Estadio Olimpico to watch a live La Liga Santander game between hosts Barcelona against La Palmas which lived to the billing.

Meanwhile, The Talanta Hela Boys’ team capped their tour in Spain on a high note, winning 4-2 against Football Club Eldense in an entertaining game at the Nastic Grounds in Tarragona.

Youngster Austin Odongo was superb in the entire match, netting a hat trick to take his tally to six goals in seven matches.

Defender Ismael Odhiambo had given the Stanley Okumbi charges the lead early in the second half with a powerful header from a Samuel Indonyi corner kick.

Odongo who is in form four at Ebwali High School in Vihiga County expressed his delight after the game although with regrets that he could have scored more goals in the match and in the other matches at the Costa Daurada Cup and the other two friendly games against Nastic Sports Academy and CD Castellon.

“It feels good to win and we are happy for the victory as a team. I am glad to have scored three goals although I could have netted more. As a striker, my core business is to score goals and help my team and that is, what has been pushing. My target here was to get more than 10 games but next game if given an opportunity I promise to do better.”

The girls’ team also finished their business with a good show, thrashing Spanish lower tier side Carafel 5-0 in another friendly match played at the Nastic Sports Academy.

Mario Serenge scored a brace while Elizabeth Mideva,Halima Imbachi and Emily Moranga netted a goal each to seal the victory for the Kenyans in front of the Cabinet Secretary for Sports Ababu Namwamba.
After the two weeks tour of Spain, the teams are expected to jet back in the county today evening.