Kenya Lionesses Lose to Uganda in Africa Women's 7s Semifinals

The Kenya Lionesses, the national women's rugby 7s team, lost to Uganda in the semifinals of the Africa Women's 7s at the RFUEA Grounds on Sunday. The match ended with a score of 19-14 in favor of Uganda. The Kenya Lionesses had recovered from a 12-0 deficit to take a 14-12 lead but ultimately conceded a try in the final move of the match. This loss means the Kenya Lionesses will play in the third-place playoff against Zimbabwe.

Uganda's Peace Likuru scored the decisive try in the last minute of the game, securing the win for her team. The Lady Cranes, Uganda's women's rugby team, had taken an early lead through Grace Nabagala and Likuru, making it 12-0 within the first few minutes. However, Freshia Oduor's try for the Kenya Lionesses provided some respite, and Sinaida Mokaya's conversion narrowed the gap to 12-7 at halftime.

The second half of the match resumed at a frenetic pace, with both teams creating scoring opportunities. A moment of magic from Mokaya turned the game around, as her long kick up the field earned the Kenya Lionesses much-needed territory. This led to Janet Okello scoring the second try for the Lionesses, with Mokaya converting successfully.

Despite seeming to have secured the win, the Kenya Lionesses were caught off guard by Uganda's final move. Likuru quickly restarted in the Kenyan 22 and barged her way across the goal line, scoring the try that sealed the win for Uganda. The Kenya Lionesses' loss means they will now face Zimbabwe in the third-place playoff.

The other semifinal match saw Tunisia beat Zimbabwe 22-10. The Kenya Lionesses had been expected to perform well in the tournament, but they were unable to capitalize on their momentum. The team's skipper had emphasized their ultimate target of winning the tournament, but they fell short in the semifinals.

Rugby Kenya will now focus on the third-place playoff against Zimbabwe. The match will provide an opportunity for the Kenya Lionesses to bounce back and end the tournament on a positive note. The team's performance in the Africa Women's 7s has been commendable, and they will look to finish the tournament with a win.

The Africa Women's 7s tournament has seen some exciting matches, with teams competing fiercely for a spot on the podium. The Kenya Lionesses' loss to Uganda in the semifinals was a closely contested match, and both teams showed great skill and determination. The third-place playoff will provide a thrilling conclusion to the tournament.

Key points

• The Kenya Lionesses lost to Uganda in the semifinals of the Africa Women's 7s with a score of 19-14.
• The Kenya Lionesses will now face Zimbabwe in the third-place playoff.
• The Africa Women's 7s tournament has seen some exciting matches, with teams competing fiercely for a spot on the podium.