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Kenya national netball team, the Divas, lost to Namibia 41–33, in their opening match of the inaugural UAE Netball Cup in Dubai on Sunday.
Captained by Parin Simiyu, the Divas had a slow start, trailing Namibia by 7 points within the first five minutes.
Coach Ali Mugisha responded with a tactical change, substituting goal shooter Doreen Akinyi in for Delilah Akinyi but lost the first quarter 11–8 . Kenyan went to half time break traiing 21-13.
Namibian won the third quarter 33-22 before winnng at full 41-33 against the Kenyan girls.
“We started a bit slow, the girls were a little nervous but they eventually got into the game,” said head coach Mugisha Ali. “Defensively, we played very well. There were just a few minor mistakes, which we’ll correct before our next game against Singapore. The third and fourth quarters were very positive, and I believe we can go all the way to the finals.”
Team captain Simiyu added, “In the next game, we’ll focus on improving our endurance and consistency to ensure we get the win.”
The tournament, scheduled from June 15 to 21, is being played in a round-robin format at the Sheikh Rashid bin Hamdan Indoor Stadium at Al Nasr Club in Dubai.
Kenya is competing alongside Namibia, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, the Republic of Ireland, and the United States.
