Kenya’s national netball team, The Divas, put on a magnificent display in Dubai on Tuesday, defeating the United States 66-25 to relaunch their campaign in the UAE Netball Tournament.
Kenya came into the game with urgency and purpose, having suffered two consecutive defeats—41-33 to Namibia and 42-40 to Singapore.
The Divas controlled from the start, picking up a 17-3 advantage in the first quarter thanks to the attacking combo of Delilah Akinyi and Hellen Sinoya.
Early in the second quarter, Akinyi exited with an injury, but her replacement, Lucy Akumu, slotted in confidently and kept the momentum going by halftime, Kenya had stretched their lead to 34–9, showing superior pace and precision.
Coach Mugisha Ali was forced into further changes after Elsa Ndong, playing Wing Attack, picked up a knock.
Vida Adhiambo replaced her, while Mary Onyango came on at Centre for Irine Atieno.
Despite the injuries, Kenya remained in full control, finishing the third quarter ahead 54–17.
The fourth quarter was no different, with Kenya winning 66-25 in one of their most dominant performances yet.
Speaking after the win, Coach Ali praised the team’s depth and discipline:
“It was a tough, physical match. We lost two players to injury, but our bench stepped up brilliantly. Our defensive line held strong, and our attack was clinical. We’re still in the hunt for the finals.”
Kenya’s path to the finals remains open, although it is dependent on the results of other matches.
The UAE will be their next opponents, followed by Ireland.
A win in both might guarantee a position in the final, assuming UAE defeats Singapore. If not, the Divas will compete for third place.
Goal attacker Hellen Sinoya credited the team’s focus:
“We made fewer mistakes today, and that made all the difference. We’ve been learning from every match. This result shows what we’re capable of.”
Kenya now looks ahead to the decisive clashes that could shape their tournament journey.
