Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) has secured a narrow 26-22 victory over the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) in a tightly contested Kenya Handball Federation women’s National League match, on Saturday at the Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi.
KDF had to wait until the last 10 minutes of the game to secure the win over their rivals.
The win ensured that KDF secured second place in the league as the regular season came to a close on Sunday.
Meanwhile, NCPB will have to regroup and prepare to face Nairobi Water, the record champions, on Sunday in the last match of the season.
Currently, NCPB is in third place with 36 points from 21 matches, just two points behind second-placed KDF, who have 38 points from 22 matches. The leaders and champions, Nairobi Water, have 42 points from 21 matches.
If the Cereals beat Nairobi Water on Sunday, they will take their points to 38 points, equal to KDF, but the soldiers have a better goal difference.
After the game, Cereals coach Brian Mathew conceded defeat, admitting that KDF was the better side in the last 10 minutes of the match. “Defensively we were good, but our opponents capitalized on our poor ball handling skills. They overpowered us on fast breaks and deserved the win. On Sunday we come up against another tough opponent and hope to rise to the occasion,” said Mathew, adding that they have a bright future as they continue to build a strong team.
On the other hand, KDF coach Emmanuel Kieti was thrilled with his team’s performance, stating, “Our loss against Rangers 29-32 in the second leg punctured our ambitions to claim the title, but all is not lost as we have the chance during the forthcoming Super Cup event scheduled for next month. I’m happy that we have retained our second position in the regular season.”
In the first half, Cereals outplayed KDF, taking a 14-12 lead at halftime. However, KDF fought back in the second half, and Sarah Wasike’s two fast breaks tied the game at 17-17, and from there, KDF took control of the game to secure the win.
The second half saw a back-and-forth battle between the two teams, with each taking turns in the lead.
However, it was ultimately the soldiers who managed to pull ahead with a two-point lead of 22-20, securing a final victory of 26-22.
Cereals’ Marjorie Okwalau and Sarah Wasike scored nine and six goals, respectively, to emerge as the top scorers for their team, while Joan Juma and Sarah Mabonga of KDF scored nine and seven goals, respectively.
Daystar University earned their third win of the season after a comfortable 31-22 victory over National County Council Government (NCCG) in an earlier match played at the same venue.
In another match scheduled on the same day, Amazon was awarded a walkover victory after their scheduled opponents, Rising Stars, failed to show up.
