M. KisengePeerless Kenyan Junior team registers maiden win in Africa Zone 5 IHF tournament
Reading Time: 2min | Wed. 26.10.22. | 13:11
Kenya lost the opener to Burundi on Tuesday.
The Kenyan Junior (U20) Handball team registered the first win in the ongoing Africa Zone 5 IHF tournament after thrashing South Sudan 49-15 at the Ulinzi Complex on Wednesday morning.
Kenya had narrowly lost 28-25 to Burundi in the opening match played on the same venue on Tuesday and thus, headed to today's encounter seeking to redemption.
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Similarly, South Sudan were also hoping to redeem themselves from the humiliating 71-24 suffered at the hands of Uganda in their opening match played on Tuesday.
Perhaps, buoyed by the support from the handful of fans at the stands, the Kenyan boys pressed the gas pedal from onset, scoring for fun much to the delight of coach Brian Mathew who lauded his boys for the impressive performance.
Mathew, hailed his players for rectifying the mistakes that cost them a win in the opening game as well as shaking off stage fright triggered by the noise from the home crowd.
"We performed better today as opposed to the opening day. We were punished for our errors in the first game but today, we capitalized on the opponent's mistake. The loss to Burundi was a wake up call to the boys and I am happy they responded well," he said.
South Sudan head coach Alor Deng Koor blamed the successive losses to the absence of four players who were locked out of the tournament after their registration fell through.
"I have been forced to play without four influential players who would have made a big difference if fielded. We tried our best to key their details during the registration but, unfortunately, we were not successful," he lamented.
Further, the tactician rued that injuries and lack of fitness in his camp was a cause for concern. He revealed that his players had not trained as a unit prior to the tournament and thus, the chemistry between them was wanting.
"Majority of my players are new at this stage and you could tell that they were a little bit tense. Their fitness is also not good as we have not trained as a unit. Kenya took advantage of it and bullied throughout," he added.
