Junior Malkia Strikers out of Africa Championship

Junior Malkia Strikers dreams at the ongoing Under-20 African Nations Championship were shattered by Cameroon after falling 3-1 to the latter in the preliminary stages in Kasarani Indoor Arena on Thursday evening.

The Paul Gitau coached side crashed out after finishing third in pool B after garnering only three points with favourites Cameroon sailing  through to the last four as the group leaders alongside fellow West Africans, Nigeria who finished as runners up.

The Kenyans started the deciding tie on high note clinching the first set with 20-25 points before the West Africans cancelled the lead with 25-19 points win to make it 1-1.

In the third set, the already tired Kenyans were so near yet so far going down closely with 25-23 points to trail 2-1 against the West Africans.

Knowing that losing the fourth set would end their dream for the last four and eventually the title, the Kenyan queens started on a high note leading 15-6 at one point but they could not hold their 7-point gap, losing the set with 29-27 points.

Elsewhere, Nigeria edged winless Tanzania in 3-1 sets in another Pool B final fixture with the former finishing with six points three behind unbeaten Cameroon.

Nigeria will face defending champions Egypt in the last four on Saturday after the North Africans finished on top of five-team Pool A with 12 points while Cameroon will confront Rwanda who made it as the pool A runners up.

The week-long event which is also serving as the next year’s World Championship for the same bracket slated for Japan will serve out on Sunday with finalists set to fly Africa’s flag in the global fiesta.