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AFRICA: FOUR VOLLEYBALL TEAMS JET IN TODAY AHEAD OF AFRICA GAMES IN KENYA September 4, 2007
(SomaliNet) The national women’s volleyball teams from Egypt, South Africa, Seychelles and Nigeria arrive today in time for the afternoon’s technical meeting ahead of the Malta Guinness Africa Nations Cup that starts tomorrow at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani in Kenya.
Seven other teams, including Senegal, Tunisia, Cameroon, Botswana and Algeria, have already checked in at Kasarani while Uganda’s squad was due to arrive late yesterday by bus from Kampala.
“All the remaining teams will be here in time. But we already have some of the bigwigs in the continent and it will be a big battle,” said Evans Wasike, the acting Kenya Volleyball Federation secretary general.
The Africa Nations Cup tournament returns to Kasarani after four years and Kenya must improve their game to challenge for the top spot, hoping their poor run in the 2003 edition of the competition won’t return to haunt them.
Kenya lost to Egypt in the finals. Algeria, the current All Africa Games champions, are under pressure to qualify for their inaugural World Cup and have made no change to the side that beat Kenya 3-0.
Head of Algeria delegation Gongam Okra, however, viewed Kenya as the favourites.
“They are the only side that has consistently played top standard volleyball in the continent for long,” Okra said.
But head coach Mouldud Ikhedji said the Pan-African champions are in the country to finish off what they started in Blida. “We are here to win and nothing will stop us from this target,” said Ikhedji.
Meanwhile, Kenya has named its final squad for the tournament. Head coach Sammy Kirongo has made five changes from the squad that lost to Nigeria in July.
Kenya squad: Dorcas Ndasaba (captain), Catherine Wanjiru (deputy captain), Praxides Agala, Jackline Barasa, Diana Khisa, Mercy Moim, Doris Palang’a, Asha Makuto, Edna Rotich, Janet Wanja, Judy Serenge and Mildred Oduako; Algeria squad: Lydia Owlmou, Zohra Oukazi, Faiza Tsaret, Nawal Mansouri, Zohra Bensalem, Dounia Madi, Nabila Hamouche, Lydia Boulouiza, Fatma Djouad, Tasadit Aisiou, Selia Magnana and Mouni Abarahim.
“I have one of the youngest side in the tournament who are ready to fight for their own space among the continent’s best. The team is composed of young players, and have been playing together since 2003.”
But, Algeria do not expect top rest on their laurels hoping to win simple, it will be a tight match should they face Cameroon whom they edged out in the All Africa Games finals, while Tunisia, Egypt and Kenya are knocking on the door too.
“We expect much opposition from other teams and more so from Kenya. But there are other emerging teams that could stage a surprise so we will be cautious not to be back stabbed,” he added.
There is no love lost between Kenya and Algeria, in 2005, the North Africans, cried after they were edged out 3-2 by the local girls. They had to wait for two years to get their revenge winning conclusively 3-0 sets. Now each side must improve their game and show once and for all who is the real African queen. -Nation