KOGELO, Kenya (AFP) — A local soccer team christened Obama FC was at the weekend beaten 1-0 in a derby held in a western Kenyan village of the US Democrat's kin.
The tournament, dubbed Obama Big Day Soccer Tournament, was organised by Barack Obama's step-brother Malik Obama, in anticipation of the senator's victory in the November 4 US presidential elections.
The defeat did not turn out to be a big day for Obama FC, an unenviable preamble for Obama ahead of Tuesday's polls.
But the team's goalkeeper Boaz Okelo blamed a player in the opposing team of leaking to his teammates that he had an elbow injury, which they exploited in a penalty shoot out after the match ended in a draw after regular time.
"The other players were kicking the ball towards my injured elbow," Okelo told AFP on Sunday, a day after Obama FC was eliminated in the knock-out stages of the derby.
Obama FC captain Joshua Onyango said they were defeated because they underestimated their opponents.
"Most of the players had tension after we found out that they (opponents) were stronger than we thought," he said.
Originally called Kogelo FC - named after the village of Obama's Kenyan father - it changed its name to Obama FC in 2004 when the Democrat first made headlines after giving an electrifying speech at the Democratic Party convention.
Malik urged for the support of youth sports as part of "dreams from my father," citing his step-brother's autobiography.
Tournament winners were to be handed football gear and trophies.
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