Kenyan Premier League team Sofapaka defeated Kakamega Homeboyz 3-1 on Thursday, giving them one of their biggest victories of the season.
A 19-year-old youngster was the driving force behind their resounding victory after playing a significant role in each of the goals they scored in the action-packed encounter.
When Ben Stanley Omondi joined the 2019 Kenyan Premier League champions from second-tier side, Migori Youth during the preceding transfer window, he vowed to impress in his first season on the top-flight stage.
Ahead of the club’s opening fixture, Omondi said he would be targeting 10 assists. Indeed, the teen sensation is halfway through realizing his objective after providing three assists against Kakamega Homeboyz on Thursday.
Although he admits that there is a different ball game altogether in the KPL compared to NSL, Stanley said he is already coping well with the high demands of the big stage.
Omondi stated that there is a “significant difference in terms of intensity and quality of play” between the top league and the National Super League.
“I have picked up a lot of knowledge during my brief time with the team. The National Super League and the Kenyan Premier League are very different in terms of style of play, level of experience, and level of competition. Due to the intense competition and demands of the top-flight league, I have had to up my game in order to compete successfully and fit in with the team “Omondi declared.
Omondi said his work is made easier because the club’s head coach David Ouma always makes his expectations very clear before every assignment.
“The coach has outlined his season-long goals for us, and we must strive to meet those goals. It takes a lot of dedication to play continental football, and I personally want to help the team by scoring some goals and providing at least ten assists. At the end of the season, I will be happy that I was able to contribute in some small way to the club’s success.”
He said he managed to settle down quickly at the Nairobi-based club because of the level of trust and confidence Coach Ouma hasshown in him.
“I realize I have a difficult task ahead of me because the stakes are high and the coach has such high expectations for me. Being my first season, it will be such an experience for me. I am well-trained and able to fit in.”
Omondi said he joined Sofapaka to fulfill his lifetime dream of brushing shoulders with the big boys of Kenyan football.
“I’m excited and honored to be a part of this fantastic club. I have discovered a group that is determined to contend for championships. This was a significant motivator that allowed me to write at the club. I am confident we will see results right away because of the excellent preparation we have so far,” Omondi said.
The youngster is so outstanding that head coach David Ouma has predicted his future success.
“Ben is a young man who has shown tremendous promise in the growth of his game. Since joining us, he has played with a lot more desire and improved greatly in his style of play in the friendlies we have played,” Ouma said.
“The future is with the young guys, so I love developing upcoming players. I’ve always been a big fan of Ben, and he’s consistently displayed impressive play. I am so sure that he will develop into a great player in the future, so he is a player to keep an eye out for. Additionally, Ouma predicted that Omondi would see more playing time because he had already demonstrated his readiness for competition.