Bring on Ethiopia, purring Malkia coach Munala upbeat after Rwanda win

The national women volleyball team head coach Japheth Munala believes Malkia Strikers can dare to dream after getting off to a flying start in the Zone Five All African Games qualifiers which served off on Sunday at Lugogo Indoor Arena, Uganda.

Malkia Strikers, the All African Games 2015 champions, hit Rwanda by straight sets of 25-10, 25-17 and 25-10 in a lopsided affair to underline their quest of bagging the sole ticket for August championship set for Morocco.

The nine-time African champions, will today take on Ethiopia from 6pm in their second match, before playing Uganda in their last fixture of the tournament organised in a round-robin format.

In his reflections after the opening match, Munala who is working hand in hand with 52-year-old Italian coach Shaileen Ramdoo who was seconded to Kenya by International Volleyball Federation (FIVB), said the squad is upbeat and they are leaving nothing to chance in the next two matches.

“We want to win every game and my players are focused because they all know it’s only one team per region and a slip up will cost us dearly. Every department was okay and everything went as planned in our first match and now we are raring to face Ethiopia,” he said.

Kenya’s long-time rivals Egypt however pulled out of the competition at the last minute due to unspecified reasons.

Malkia are competing with hosts Uganda, neighbours Ethiopia and Rwanda for the single ticket that will guarantee them qualification to the continental championship.

There is however a provision for the competition’s runners up to go through to the African Games as a best loser depending on the results from the other four zones. Three best losers will go through.

Kenya are the All African Games defending champions after defeating their new-found opponents Cameroon by three sets to one in 2015 in Congo, Brazzaville and they will be hunting their fifth title in Morocco if they sail through as Zone V representatives.

Sunday, May 19

Kenya 3-0 Rwanda
(25-10, 25-17, 25-10)

Ethiopia 0-3 Uganda
|(25-17, 25-19, 25-13)

Monday, May 20

Ethiopia Vs Kenya, 6:00 PM

Uganda Vs Rwanda, 8:00 PM