Kenya 7s knocked out of Cup contention in Munich

Kenya 7s hopes of advancing to the final in Munich were dashed after suffering a narrow 19-17 defeat to Germany in the tournament.

Despite a strong showing in the group stage, where they maintained a flawless record with victories against Chile, Portugal, and Japan, Shujaa couldn’t secure victory in the knockout stage against the hosts.

Kenya 7s lapse

Germany, topping Group A with seven points, showcased their prowess early in the match. They capitalized on a defensive lapse from Shujaa, allowing Makonnen to break through and score, giving Germany a 7-0 lead to the delight of the home crowd.

Kenya quickly responded, with Odongo demonstrating remarkable speed to outpace his marker and narrow Shujaa’s deficit to two points.

Onyala’s clever play drew in defenders, freeing up Amaitsa to give Kenya their first lead of the match at 10-7.

However, Germany fought back, leveling the score just before halftime after sustained pressure on the Kenyan defense, with both teams temporarily reduced to six men due to yellow cards.

Shujaa regained the lead early in the second half, as John Okoth powered through two German defenders to score, igniting the Kenyan supporters and giving Kenya a 17-12 advantage.

Kenya 7s later errors

Despite Kenya’s momentum, Germany managed to capitalize on another defensive lapse, with Jakob Dipper exploiting a gap in the stretched Kenyan defense to score, tying the game at 17-17.

In a missed opportunity for Kenya, Ambetsa stumbled with an open path to the try line, resulting in a penalty that sealed Shujaa’s fate. The final score stood at 19-17 in favor of Germany, ending Kenya’s aspirations of reaching the tournament final.