So near yet so far for NCPB in regional tourney

Kenya Handball Federation (KHF) men's league champions National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) lost the East and Central Africa Handball Federation Senior Club Championships title by a solitary goal as curtains came down on the 2021 edition of the regional event. 

Up against Rwanda Police in the men's final, both teams were unbeaten in the group stage and had dispensed Ngome and Black Mamba in the semis to book a ticket to the final encounter. 

The match, that had all the ingredients of a thriller, lived up to its biling as the Kenyan side trailed by a single goal at half time on a 16-17 scoreline and Police did everything, capitalising on the miller's lapses to maintain the one-goal advantage for the victory to retain the title they had won in 2019 at home. 

Yves Kayijamehe scored seven for Rwanda, propelling them to the title as NCPB's Robert Maraga scored a similar number with William Malui adding six but it was too little to change the final result. 

"The experience has been fantastic in Dar es Salaam. We had won the national league and we had really hoped to bag the regional title too but a bad day in office saw us lose by a goal.  We played well all through save for a few lapses in our defense. We gave out so many spaces and balls to the Rwanda team. We had contained all their strengths on attack save for a few lapses that led us to be punished and hence that result. I am, however, grateful for the second place finish in the well-organised event," said NCPB's Victor Otuoma who captained the side in Dar es Salaam in the absence of Timothy Kirimi. 

Otuoma's sentiments were echoed by veteran player Thodosia Sangoro who believes that had they been more clinical on offence the title would have been theirs. 

"The match was good, well balanced and we had it but made a few schoolboy mistakes at crucial moments that cost us dearly. We lost concentration when it was really needed but the game could have gone either way. We take a rest the Ln shift our focus to the Super Cup with valuable lessons," said Sangoro.