Vihiga Queens and Harambee Starlets' forward Tereza Engesha would not be banging goals and making headlines every weekend had she ignored the advice of coach Alex Alumira.
Engesha has endeared herself into the hearts of football lovers and a down-to-earth demeanour, eye for goal and hunger for success puts her among the creme-de-la-creme strikers in the country.
In 2018, the then 20-year old was named in the Fifa best 11 Fifpro team. It wasn't a surprise since her performances were telling, including the four goals she scored in her debut in the Swedish second-tier league in 2018 while playing for Dalhem IF.
Despite her natural talent and European sojourn, Engesha almost gave up playing football after joining Vihiga in 2017. She felt it was a waste of time. Women football is all about passion since there is no adequate pay with just several clubs offering tokens of appreciation to their players.
The worrying-low key status of women's football in the country at the time was another reason but Alumira, who had known Engesha during her formative years challenged her to focus on the game, believing she had the talent to go places.
"I was not sure whether I could make it to the international stage. Not that I doubted my talent but because the Kenyan league was largely unknown. Secondly, you can be a very good footballer in Kenya but nobody cares. I had no desire in training and the coach was sharp enough to see my sudden change of attitude," Engesha recalls.
"Alumira encouraged me to be positive about life and sports. He told me I will go places if I stick to my first love. He narrated to me stories about footballers who had made wrong choices and suffered. After soul-searching, I upheld his words and I vowed to be strong. I live with his advice every time I feel like throwing in the towel."
Engesha played in Sweden between April and August 2018. Though it was a six-month contract, she couldn't help the team evade relegation despite being a regular starter. Dalhem wanted to tie down Engesha to fresh terms but she was unwilling to play in the lowest tier.
"I wasn't even excited after scoring four goals because I am a prolific striker who bags goals every time I am on the pitch. They wanted me to extend my stay there but I could not imagine playing in the lowest tier competition," reveals the former Tartar High School student.
She recounted the Sweden experience as the best ever and hopes that a second chance will come knocking soon.
"I still have time on my side and all I need is patience and waiting for the perfect opportunity. England and Spain would be my preference because their leagues are competitive. It was an unforgettable experience being in a new country with a different culture," she adds.
The hawk-eyed striker scored 36 goals to win the inaugural Kenya Footballers Welfare Association (KEFWA) Women Player of the year award in 2019, after helping the county-sponsored team to win the national title for three consecutive seasons.
Engesha has scored 103 career goals so far, according to Alumira. She has been in imperious form this season, scoring in each of the last 10 Premier League. She leads the charts with 14 goals, two ahead of her closest challenger Ruth Chebungei who has 12. Despite her hot streak in front of goal with two-thirds of the season already played, Engesha says she has not reached the standards she set in 2019.
"I am not at the standards I want to be. It's true I have scored in all matches but I have a feeling I have underachieved. At this stage in 2019, I had 20 goals. We had a short period for preparation because of the pandemic but there's room for improvement," Engesha remarks.
Engesha discovered her football talent while in Class Six at Mbihi Primary School in her home county of Vihiga. She became a hero in the local tournaments and improved on her prowess while playing for Tartar between 2012 and 2014.
The pacy forward bagged both the Most Valuable Player and the best player in East Africa and national school games in 2012. However, she did not finish her 'O' Levels at Tartar, as she transferred to St. Paul's Abwau Secondary School in Oyugis in 2015, where she sat for her Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education.
Two years later, the tormentor in chief of defences joined her elder sister Robai Kebedi at Vihiga Queens.
Engesha revealed Kebedi, a central defender, has been her source of inspiration. "It's a unique feeling to be in the same team with your sister. She always pushes me beyondo my limits and I have managed to get out of my comfort zone," she says.
The left-footed player guided Vihiga to their first national title in 2017. In 2018, she played only in the first leg, scoring 13 goals before departing for Sweden. She again came in handy for Queens in 2019 as they bagged a third consecutive league title.
She made her debut for Harambee Starlets in the Africa Women's Cup doubleheader against Equatorial Guinea in 2018. However, she missed Starlets' CECAFA trophy win in 2019 because of a knee injury. She boasts of two international goals.
Alumira believes Engesha has matured with positioning, decision making, attitude and selflessness becoming integral elements in her game. "10 of her goals this season have come from the same position, outside the box. Initially, her precision was poor but now she's keen on details. No wonder she no longer disappoints," notes Alumira.
"Whether she starts or comes off the bench, she's sharp and affects the team's play. She was our match winner against Trans-Nzoia Falcons, coming off the bench and scoring within five minutes of introduction. The same thing happened when we played Wadadia — she assisted and scored. Engesha can get into tight positions and still score. She is an asset to the team."
Even though Engesha said she is yet to hit top standards, Alumira is of the view that this is Engesha's most impressive season since setting foot at the club.
"People have different opinions but honestly, this is her best season to date. She's playing with less pressure and her priority is to ensure the team wins. Football is in her blood."
The title-winning coach backed his star forward to successfully defend the top scorers' award, terming her rivals efforts an exercise in futility.
"She's been in a similar situation before and navigated through it unscathed. She is in a stage of her career where she is ripe for Europe," adds Alumira.
Pace, power and technique make Engesha an all-rounded player and the best in the country according to Alumira. She is a nightmare to defenders, who always rejoice when she is not in the starting line-up.
"It takes courage to stop her but it's always hard to nullify her. Every defender is worried about her. Defenders go as far as celebrating when she's on the bench. I doubt if there's a striker in Kenya who can play like her," Alumira opines.
Maybe had Engesha thrown in the towel earlier, nobody could have known her or even her goals. At 23, she has many years ahead of her to explore the football world. She is an example to be emulated.
Biography
Name: Tereza Engesha
Current Club: Vihiga Queens
Previous Club: Dalhem IF-Sweden (April-August, 2018)
Position: Forward
Age: 23
Career goals: 103
Achievements
2012-MVP East Africa School Games
-Best Player National School games
2018-Named in Fifa best 11 Fifpro
-Vihiga Queens
2019-WPL top scorer with 36 goals
-KEFWA Player of the year
Women's Premier League titles: 2017, 2018, 2019
National team: 10 caps
Two goals
