Lungaho confident of beautiful Malkia show in Japan

The  national women’s volleyball team Malkia Strikers technical director David Lungáho is upbeat his side will hit  top form before they jet out for this year’s World Championship set for September 29 to October 20 in Hamamatsu City, Japan.

The nine-time African champions have been bowing out at the preliminary stages on five different occasions in the global extravaganza but Lungáho says they are ready to conquer the world and is banking on the youthful final squad announced last week to triumph.

“We are finalizing our sharpness for every department especially in reception because this is one area which has been hurting us. This is the best squad we have in many years and I am sure we can go past group stages this year,” Lungáho who doubles up as Kenya Prisons women’s team head coach told Citizen Digital.

The belligerent African queens who have been in camp since June at the Kasarani Indoor Arena edged the Malkia Strikers junior team by straight sets on Tuesday in a friendly tie, with the latter also preparing for the Under -20 championship which serves off on August 26 at Kasarani.

“The junior championship is around the corner and we are also preparing our juniors ahead of the tourney and that is why we are having friendlies with them. We have two important assignments ahead of us,” added Lungáho.

The Japheth Munala coached side will depart on September 18 ahead of the global fiesta, with four warm-up matches against Japan’s clubs on the cards before the championship serves off ten days later.

However, the seasoned tactician revealed that it is difficult to invite national teams for friendlies due to financial difficulties plaguing the Kenya Volleyball Federation (KVF).

“We will conduct warm-up matches against clubs in Japan which we are yet to confirm. We could have invited teams like Japan or Brazil but we don’t have funds,” he said.

Malkia are pooled in Group D alongside Brazil, Serbia, Kazakhstan, Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico.

Kenya will launch her quest for the title against Kazakhstan on September 29 before confronting Serbia a day later, and subsequently face Puerto Rico, champions Brazil and Dominican Republic in other preliminary matches.

Malkia Strikers fixtures (Kenyan time)

29/9/2018

1920 hrs- Kenya Vs Kazakhstan

30/9/2018

1920 hrs -Kenya Vs Serbia

01/10/2018

1610hrs- Kenya Vs Puerto Rico

03/10/2018

1920hrs -Kenya Vs Brazil

04/10/2018

1610hrs- Kenya Vs Dominican