Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) will take on Chief Naval Staff Spikers of Nigeria in the Round 16 of the African Men’s Clubs Championship held in Tunisia on Wednesday.
KPA secured their spot in the match after defeating Iseg Sport (ISE) of Senegal with a 3-1 victory (25-19, 25-22, 20-25, 25-20) in their last Pool “C” match on Tuesday.
With an impressive performance in the preliminary stage, KPA enters the match as the favorites. They won two matches and lost one, while their West African counterparts faced defeat in all their pool matches.
KPA emerged victorious against Cameroon Sports Volleyball Club with a 3-1 win before narrowly losing to Jill Saad Commune Ouled Aduone (JSCOA) of Algeria with a 3-2 scoreline. However, they recovered by defeating Iseg in their final group match.
Head coach Sammy Mulinge acknowledges that their upcoming opponents may seem easy on paper, but he emphasizes that they are a formidable team. Mulinge stressed the importance of not underestimating their opponents and ensuring the match receives the seriousness it deserves, as it stands between KPA and a quarter-final berth.
In the women’s match, defending champions KCB concluded their Pool “B” match with a convincing 3-0 victory (25-11, 25-13, 25-15) against Asca Saltigue of Senegal. Leading the pool with nine points, KCB showcased their dominance by winning all three matches.
KCB Technical Director Paul Bitok commended setter Esther Mutinda for her exceptional speed, which has positively impacted their style of play.
He also praised key player Mercy Moim, as well as the promising duo of Juliana Namutira and Pauline Chemutai, expressing hope that they will have the opportunity to join the national team, Malkia Strikers, and further enhance their skills.
Mutinda, who joined KCB this year from Kenyan champions Kenya Pipeline, has been instrumental in the team’s success. KCB previously secured victories against National Alcohol Liquor Factory of Ethiopia (3-0) and Nyong from Cameroon (3-0) in their earlier group matches.
Meanwhile, Kenya Pipeline will face Co Decaretes of Cote d’Ivoire in their final Pool “C” match on Wednesday. Last year’s bronze medalists in Tunisia, Pipeline has registered two wins against Mouloudia Club d’Alger (3-1) and Chief Naval Staff Spikers from Nigeria (3-1).
In other news, Malkia Strikers’ Brazilian coach Luizomar de Moura arrived in Tunisia on Wednesday morning to oversee the selection of the provisional squad for the Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon in August and the Paris Olympic Games in France next year.
The selection process will involve a collaborative effort between local and FIVB-attached coaches. Following the selection, the FIVB tacticians will return to Kenya to scout more players during local league matches.
The provisional squad will then embark on a 15-day training camp in Morocco starting on June 10. Subsequently, the team will participate in the FIVB Challenge Cup in France from June 25 to July 31 before heading to Cameroon for the Cup of Nations scheduled from August 18 to August 30.
The Kenyan technical bench has experienced significant enhancement through the partnership between the Kenya Volleyball Federation and FIVB, which brought coaches from Brazil last year.
This collaboration aims to strengthen and develop volleyball in Kenya.
