Defending champions Blue Blue have progressed to the semi-final of the Esse Akida Foundation Tournament after edging out Jupiter Youth 3-1 on post-match penalties in a tough quarter final duel played in Mkoroshoni, Kilifi County on Friday.

Blue Blue won the first edition of the tourney last year, when it was played as a seven-a-side mixed version.

This year, tournament founder Esse Akida, a former Kenyan international, decided to do it differently and has spaced out the men and women’s tournament differently.

“I always love to listen to feedback from the people and from last year the feedback I got was the we should separate the men’s tournament from the women’s tournament. I decided to go further and make it a full 11-a-side tournament and I am delighted that we could pull this off,” Akida said.

The men’s tournament has attracted eight teams while the women’s tournament attracted five teams, with winners from Sunday’s finale set to pocket Sh30,000.

Blue Blue are hoping to defend the tournament, this time as a men’s outfit, and skipper Montrine Kikai says they are more than confident of doing so.

“Our ambition is to retain this title. We know that the games are really tough but we are up for it,” Kikai said, after his side’s penalties victory over Jupiter.

Blue Blue had to come from a goal down, James Charo becoming both hero and villain after scoring the equalizer but was sent off for a second yellow card with less than quarter of an hour to play.

They will take on home ground favorites Ubuntu who also needed penalties to make it to the last four. They saw off Mnarani Youth 7-6 in a tense shootout after a 0-0 draw in regulation time.

In the second semi-final, Mekoan, who thrashed Kilifi United 3-0 in the third quarter final will take on Young Atomic who beat Kilifi All Stars 3-1 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in regulation time.

Meanwhile in the girls’ tournament, the star-studded Kilifi Elite are already through to the final after thrashing Kilifi Ladies 3-0 courtesy of Josephine Kitsao’s hattrick.

The second semi-final, pitting Majajani and Eleven Commandos will be played Saturday morning.

Elite were the tournament’s toast, having won both their group round matches, thrashing Makion Ladies 4-0 and Eleven Commandoes 3-0. Kitsao and Assia Ali scored twice each against Makion, whule the former had another brace against Commandos and Assia the other.

Commandos won their last match against Makion 2-1, Thamia Reminson hitting the winner five minutes to time.

“We are really delighted to have made the semis because that was the least of our targets. After we lost the first match, we really pushed ourselves in the second game to at least get a win which we knew would send us to the semis. Our dream now is to make the final. We know it will not be easy but we are psyched for it. We were abit stage-frightened in the first game but now we are good,” Christine Maua, the Commandos skipper said after the game.

The tournament is played across three days, the two men’s semis set to be played Saturday afternoon, while both the men and women’s final will be played Sunday, at the Mkoroshoni Grounds in Kilifi.

Akida believes that this tournament will offer a massive platform for upcoming players to showcase their talent, build their confidence and take their careers to the next level.

“When I was growing up here, there was nothing like tournaments especially for girls. I want to offer my community such a platform because I know how much it means to them,” Akida said.