NCPB shoot down KDF to revive title hopes
Kenya Defence Forces' Alexina Ambani (left) shoots under pressure from National Cereals Produce Board's Nancy Sakwa during their East and Central Africa Handball Championship match on November 23, 2016 at Nyayo Stadium. NCPD won 27-26. PHOTO | CHRIS OMOLLO |
What you need to know:
- The win was a major boost for NCPB, who had lost 30-20 to defending champions Nairobi Water in their first match on Monday.
- NCPB will now play Sparklers on Friday while KDF will take on leaders Nairobi Water on Saturday in the final day of the annual competition.
- Water, who lead the competition with four points after winning two matches, will retain the title if they avoid defeat on Saturday.
National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) women's team on Wednesday overcame Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) 27-26 as the East and Central Africa Club Championship entered its fourth day at the Nyayo Stadium Handball Court.
The win was a major boost for NCPB, who had lost 30-20 to defending champions Nairobi Water in their first match on Monday.
With the result, both KDF and NCPB are tied on two points, having won one and lost one match each. KDF beat Sparklers 42-21 on Monday in their first match of the tournament.
NCPB will now play Sparklers on Friday while KDF will take on leaders Nairobi Water on Saturday in the final day of the annual competition.
Water, who lead the competition with four points after winning two matches, will retain the title if they avoid defeat on Saturday.
KDF and NCPB exchanged leads in the first few minutes of play in the entertaining encounter. NCPB took a 7-6 lead in the first 15 minutes of play.
The NCPB trio of Naomi Musembi, Fatma Mohammed and Maureen Mbone tormented the KDF defence, combining well upfront to extend their team's lead to 9-7 before KDF's Euphrasia Mukasia scored two fast break goals to restore parity.
Musembi added two more goals as her side took a 13-12 lead into the break.
On resumption, both teams continued with their attacks to the delight of the fans.
KDF would then regroup to overtake their opponents 16-15 thanks to good coordination from Ninnie Kirwa, Isabella Nanyama and Mukasia.
Both teams the exchanged leads going into the final 10 minutes of the match. NCPB recovered to take a 24-23 lead before holding out their surging opponents for a 27-26 win.
Mohammed and Musembi both emerged top scorers for NCPB with six goals apiece as Kirwa (7) and Mukasia (5) top-scored for the soldiers.
"Our opponents were technically better than us but we fought till the end. The new players we have are yet to gel with the rest of the squad. We hope to recover and stage a good performance against Nairobi Water on Saturday," KDF team manager Sammy Mwangangi told Daily Nation Sport.
In another match, Kenya Handball Federation men's national league champions KDF recovered from Sunday's 27-24 loss to compatriots Black Mamba to defeat local rivals National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) 26-18.
KDF were 13-10 going into the breather before wrapping up the win 26-18.
Felix Kiriithi (4) and Nixon Oyaro (3) top-scored for the soldiers as Davies Odhiambo (6) and Elvin Otieno (3) led the scoring chart for NCPB.
KDF take on champions Rwanda Police in their final match on Saturday.
