Kenya and China to Take Part in the Tsingtao Tournament

The teams from China are already training for the initial Tsingtao Beer Friendship Cup at various spots in Nairobi.

Louis Lee Leo, Simba FC captain is optimistic ahead of the tournament whose intention is to build up the 60 years cordial relationship between the two countries.

“We are fit and ready for the competition. We train weekly at the Ngong Road Arena, we are at the moment working on our pace and mental fitness before the tournament,” Lee said.

Four Kenyan and two Chinese teams will battle with well-paid prizes in the six-aside knockout tournament. The Kenyan teams include the Kenya Sports Journalist (KSJ) FC and the Kenya Football Fans Federation (KFFF) FC.

Erick Ochieng, the KSJ representative, said their side has already resumed training for the season and the tournament will be a stepping stone towards greater heights this year.

“We are excited about the tournament invitation; we are looking forward to participating in the tournament and generating a long-lasting bond. This year, KSJ aims to participate in other international championships in Arusha and Dar es Salaam in Tanzania, Kampala and Addis Ababa.” Says Ochieng.

“We also intend to host our own internal awards at the end of the year to award some of our best-performing players in the season,” Ochieng added.

Tsingtao beer marketing manager Sammy Zhan has thanked both teams for coming on board to help them organize the international football showpiece.

“The tournament will build up the bond between Kenya and China. We are happy to be part of it. As it grows, we want to enlarge it to include sporting activities other than football,” Zhan underlined.

Zhan’s sentiments were seconded by tournament director Balozi Yang who said they have worked round the clock to make the contest a success.

“We are hopeful that the fans will enjoy the matches and we are confident the games will be nerve-cracking going by the teams registered, “says Balozi.