Hong Kong 7s: Shujaa through to ninth-place final after win over USA
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Reading Time: 2min | Sat. 29.03.25. | 14:10
Shujaa now shifts focus to Sunday’s showdown, aiming to close their Hong Kong 7s campaign on a high note
Kenya 7s secured a spot in the ninth-place playoff at the Hong Kong 7s after edging the USA 17-10 in a tense playoff semi-final encounter on Saturday 29 March.
The victory sets up a crucial match for Shujaa, who will return to action on Sunday at 7:00 a.m. against the winner of the South Africa versus Uruguay clash.
The USA, already confirmed for the relegation playoffs at their home tournament, the Los Angeles 7s, had a challenging season and were met with a determined Kenyan side.
Shujaa, despite narrowly missing out on the Cup quarter-finals, showcased resilience and improved performance in the group stage.
Kenya 7s started the match on a high note, shifting play swiftly to the left to find Kevin Wekesa, who powered past his marker to score the opening try. A successful conversion handed Shujaa a 7-0 lead.
The red shirts had multiple chances to widen the gap, but George Ooro failed to ground the ball properly in the try box, and Patrick Odongo lost control of the ball after a blistering run.
We beat 🇺🇸 to proceed to the Playoffs.#Shujaa #SportpesaNaShujaa #MpesaPowersKenya7s #SafaricomRugby #CrownPaintsShujaa pic.twitter.com/7HqDDLdwPX
— Shujaa (@KenyaSevens) March 29, 2025
The USA took advantage of Kenya’s missed opportunities just before halftime, with Ben Broselle breaking through on the left to score. A missed conversion kept Shujaa in the lead at 7-5 heading into the break.
In the second half, Vincent Onyala capitalized on a penalty deep in the USA’s territory, tapping quickly and diving over the try line to stretch Kenya’s lead to 12-5.
The momentum remained with Shujaa as Odongo made up for his earlier mistake, sprinting down the left wing to touch down in the corner and make it 17-5.
The USA fought until the last play, with Broselle securing his second try of the match in the dying moments. However, it was not enough to overturn Kenya’s dominance, and Shujaa sealed their place in the ninth-place playoff.
Shujaa now shifts focus to Sunday’s showdown, aiming to close their Hong Kong 7s campaign on a high note.
