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Colombia’s last opportunity to find victory at the inaugural WXV came up short as Kenya took the spoils in Dubai on Friday. The strength and speed of the African side proved too much with Las Tucanes conceding three tries while scoring just one.
It took just under six minutes for Kenya to find the line. Diana Omosso challenged the defense and when the ball was recycled quickly it was Sharon Auma who rounded the corner for the finish. Not long after a quick tap from Judith Okumu nearly saw the lively scrumhalf crossing but a last-gasp tackle from Valentina Álvarez forced a knock-on.
The pressure stayed on and Ann Ochieng surprised everyone with a snap drop-goal from in front of the posts. Rose Otieno then punched over from close range to make it 13-nil, but a 60-meter runaway score for Juliana Soto brought the Tucanes back into the game.
Kenya regrouped and took the momentum back just before the two sides headed into the sheds. The ball was flung wide right where Auma was waiting, and after corralling a wild final pass the winger stepped out of one tackle and shrugged off another to grab a double.
Maribel Mestra was sent to the bin just after the hour mark but nothing would come from it for the Kenyans. It wasn’t until the 75th minute when they put the game on ice. Ochieng did the honors, splitting the uprights on a routine penalty goal to bring a close to the scoring.
Las Tucanes finish at the bottom of the WXV third division though their points differential was significantly better than 5th-place Kazakhstan. Kenya’s victory was just enough to push them past Kazakhstan into 4th place, five points behind Spain.
SCORING
KENYA 21
Tries (3) – S. Auma 2 (6′, 38′), R. Otieno (23′)
Cons (0) – A. Ochieng 0/3
Pens (1) – A. Ochieng 1/1 (75′)
DG (1) – A. Ochieng 1/1 (21′)
COLOMBIA 5
Tries (1) – J. Soto (34′)
Cons (0) – L. Garcia 0/1
YC (1) – M. Mestra (62′)
TEAMS
KENYA
1 Rose Otieno (17 Valentine Otieno 73′), 2 Naomi Muhanji (16 Knight Otwoma 71′), 3 Natasha Emali (Evelyne Luganu 77′), 4 Maureen Chebet, 5 Naomi Kemei (20 Hesslah Khisa 78′), 6 Enid Ouma (capt.) (19 Faith Livoi 68′), 7 Diana Nyairo (23 Mitchelle Owuor 77′), 8 Phoebe Otieno, 9 Judith Okumu, 10 Ann Ochieng, 11 Terry Isabwa, 12 Stella Wafula (21 Edith Nariaka 73′), 13 Prisca Nyerere (22 Esther Juma 54′), 14 Sharon Auma, 15 Diana Omosso
COLOMBIA
1 Tatiana Delgado (17 Natalia Barajas 48′), 2 Silvia Olave (16 Natalia Caisedo 48′), 3 Gisel Gómez (18 Camila Cardona 64′), 4 Laura Gutierrez, 5 Carolina Naranjo (20 Ángela Alzate HT), 6 Valentina Peña (19 Valeria Muñoz 48′), 7 Tatiana Hernández, 8 Valentina Álvarez, 9 Laura Noguera (21 Stefania Sarmiento 51′), 10 Camila Lopera (capt.), 11 Juliana Soto, 12 Isabel Ramírez (22 María Arzuaga HT), 13 Maribel Mestra, 14 Melisa Rios Mena (23 Angie Manyoma 67′), 15 Leidy García
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Maria Latos (Germany)
Assistants: Adele Robert (Belgium) & Ella Goldsmith (Australia)
TMO: Andrew Hosie (Canada)
Venue: Sevens Stadium, Dubai
