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EPL giant Everton to play friendly against Kariobangi Sharks in Nairobi tour


Kenyan football fans have been accorded a historic opportunity to watch their English Premier League star players in live action.

Top flight English club Everton will tour Nairobi in a trip organised by giant gaming firm and the team’s shirt sponsors SportPesa.

The highlight of the English team’s trip will be a friendly match against Kenyan Premier League (KPL) side Kariobangi Sharks.

The match is primed for the Moi International Sports Centre Kasarani, on July 7.

Currently placed tenth on the 18-team KPL standings, Sharks earned the right to face Everton after defeating Tanzania’s Yanga, Mbao and fellow Kenyan club at the SportPesa Cup tournament held in Tanzania earlier this year.

“This (match) provides us with a very big opportunity to play against a big team. The game will help in our youth development which is a very big project for us and also offer us a chance to expose our players. We will be ready for them,” said Sharks chairman Robert Maoga.

Everton, managed by Portuguese Marco Silva are currently placed ninth on the English Premier League table with two matches remaining in the 2018/2019 season.

The team boasts international stars namely Theo Walcott, Congolese Yannick Bolaise, Brazilian Bernard and Dutch keeper Maarten Stekekenburg.

“We are extremely excited to be heading back to Africa to play against Kariobangi Sharks FC. We were given an exceptionally warm welcome when we played in Tanzania in 2017 and are looking forward to visiting Kenya and what we know will be a fantastic experience in the Kasarani stadium,” said Everton Commercial Director Alan McTavish.

This will be the third time Everton will be facing a Kenyan team having beaten Gor Mahia 2-1 and 4-0 in the last engagements played in Dar es Salaam and Liverpool.