Football revive medal hopes at Africa Beach Games, Basketball suffer opening defeat

• The football team beat Libya 11-8
• They play Morocco in the final game
• A win will give them chance for a bronze

Kenya’s football team revived its hopes for a medal at the Africa Beach Games in Hammamet, Tunisia, after edging out Libya 11-8 in their third game of the five-team tournament on Wednesday.

The victory, coupled with Tanzania’s 8-1 loss at the hands of Senegal in the other match, means Kenya can battle for the bronze medal on the final day of action when they take on Morocco on Thursday.

Skipper Paul Kavula says they will give their all in that duel to give themselves an opportunity for a podium finish.

“We know it is going to be a difficult match because they are very experienced, but we are experienced as well. We have been growing from the first game and we have really improved after three matches,” said Kavula.

Looking back at the duel against Libya, the skipper said a change in strategy was key in aiding them to victory.

Played differently

Kenya’s football team

“We looked at how we played the first two matches and we saw that we were a bit defensive. We changed and decided to have more offensive players and put a balance and that is what worked for us. We will use the same strategy against Morocco and hopefully it works,” he noted.

Lucky Mrabu and Wilberforce Lugogo, who plays for FKF Premier League side Bandari FC starred for the Kenyan side, in their win over Libya.

Mrabu scored five goals for the Kenyan side while Lugogo found the back of the net thrice.

Earlier on, the team had lost 5-3 to neighbors Tanzania in their second match of the tournament.

Mrabu, Lugogo and Answar Shamuni scored the Kenyan goals, in a match that they could have won were they more enterprising in attack.

Men and women basketball teams off to losing start

David Gichohi of Kenya in action

Elsewhere, the men and women’s basketball teams had a losing start in the tournament, with the men’s team losing against Algeria and hosts Tunisia. They were handed a 21-9 defeat by Algeria in their first match, with Hadi Dalil top-scoring for the Algerians with nine points.

David Gichohi was Kenya’s top scorer in the duel, dipping four of the nine points. They couldn’t put up a fight against the physically endowed Tunisians, and they finished third in the group after the defeat.

They will now wait to meet the second placed team from Pool B to battle for a place in the semi-finals.

Meanwhile, the girls suffered a 21-14 defeat at the hands of Mali in their first match, a game that coach Everline Kedogo believes they should have won.

“It took us a bit of time to settle into the game but time had already gone. We have taken our lessons and will try to be better in the second match,” the experienced coach said.

The women’s team will take on Benin this morning and a win will assure them of a second spot finish.

The basketball competition in Hammamet involves only players in the U23 age category.