Gutsy Kenya edge Tanzania in Parliamentary Games

Kenya on Wednesday got their first win in football, beating Tanzania 1-0 in their second match of the East African Community Parliamentary Games staged at the Mbaraki Sports Club, Mombasa.

And at the KPA Makande Gymnasium, the hosts’ good run in volleyball continued to play out Wednesday morning as they beat Tanzania 2-0 (25-16, 25-23) to book a berth in Thursday’s semi-final. 

In football, Kenya needed nothing short of a win in order to stay alive in the competition.

It turned out to be a highly dramatic match as Kenya failed to score from two penalties, with Rodgers Okwiri and Stephen Njaata both sending their spot kicks straight at the crossbar.

Kenya also had a goal disallowed for offside in the 24th minute, but they never gave up and continued to push for a win despite protests from their opponents that the host’s were benefiting from dubious calls from the referee.

Okwiri, a staffer at the health club in Parliament, however made amends in the 58th minute of the 70-minute game by getting the better of the Tanzanian goalkeeper to slot home the solitary goal of the match.

The Kenyan side lacked the services of Uasin Gishu senator Isaac Melly in the first half, but the attacking midfielder joined in the second half to partner with the dependable Webuye West MP Dan Wanyama upfront.

The result now means that Kenya will join Uganda in the semi-finals, as Burundi, Rwanda, Tanzania and EALA (East Africa Legislative Assembly) battle for the other two slots.

In volleyball, Kenya looked well set to retain the men’s crown as they registered a hard-fought 2-0 victory over the enterprising Tanzanian side.