The Harambee Sand Stars concluded their debut appearance at the second edition of the Africa Beach Games in Hamammet, Tunisia, finishing fourth out of five participating teams.
On their final day of competition, they faced Morocco with hopes of securing a potential medal position. However, they were defeated 6-3, as Morocco rallied from a 2-1 deficit to claim victory.
Reflecting on the loss, team captain Wilberforce Lugogo, a former Bandari FC midfielder, attributed the defeat to the team’s lack of experience and technicalities specific to beach football. He acknowledged that their opponents possessed greater expertise, having played at this level for many years, while the Harambee Sand Stars were just beginning their journey.
Lugogo expressed gratitude to the government, the National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOC-K), and the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) for enabling their participation in the event. He expressed the team’s desire for more opportunities to compete, as they believe it would contribute to the development of a formidable squad.
In the match against Morocco, Answar Shamuni scored two goals for the Harambee Sand Stars, while Lucky Mrabu added another. Mrabu’s goal cancelled out an early strike by Anouar Frindi. However, Frindi went on to secure a hat trick for the Moroccan team.
As the tournament reaches its climax, Senegal leads the standings on goal difference, tied on nine points with Morocco. The two teams will face each other in the final match on Friday, where the winner will claim the championship title.
Meanwhile, neighbouring Tanzania is vying for the bronze medal and will compete against Libya in the last match, also taking place on Friday.
