Kenya Lionesses will face Zimbabwe in the Rugby Africa Women’s Sevens quarter-finals today at the RFUEA Grounds.
This is after the hosts ran over Ghana and Ivory Coast during their preliminary group matches played yesterday at the same grounds where Janet Okello delivered a masterclass by scoring five tries.
Okello began her day by scoring a hat trick of tries against Ivory Coast in a massive 44-0 win.
Ivory Coast had kicked off their campaign with a 57-0 defeat to Ghana in their opener and needed to avoid defeat against the hosts to stand a chance of making the playoffs.
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However, the Safari Sevens champions were keen to begin their attempt to dethrone record champions South Africa on a bright start and also impress their home crowd as hosts, a goal they achieved thanks to brilliant play from Okello.
Okello broke the deadlock after selling a pair of wheels down the left wing before adding a second on the opposite side of the field moments later for an early 10-0 lead, as the two conversions slipped wide.
Lionesses captain Sheila Chajira powered over the line to stretch the lead to 15-0 before Okello grabbed her hat trick heading to the break as Kenya led comfortably 20-0.
In the final half, Freshia Awino sliced through the defence to score, followed shortly by scrum-half Edith Nariaka, extending the advantage to 32–0.
Faith Livoi then bulldozed her way over for 39–0 before Kenya sealed the dominant 44–0 win with a final five-pointer.
In the second match, Okello was at it again, bagging a brace in another impressive 37-0 win over Ghana.
France-based scrum half Grace Okulo opened the scoring for the Lionesses, diving over the line before converting her own try for a 7–0 lead.
Freshia Oduor then crossed at the left corner for Kenya’s second try, and Sheila Chajira extended the advantage to 17–0 with another touchdown. Janet Okello added a fourth try after rounding her markers for a 22–0 halftime lead.
In the second half, Okello once again stretched the Ghanaian defence to score, increasing the tally to 29–0. Maureen Muritu also added her name to the scoresheet, diving over to make it 32–0, before Kenya sealed the commanding 37–0 victory.
Defending champions South Africa, who also won all their matches, will kick off the quarters at 9am with a duel against Ghana before Madagascar plays Zambia.
Uganda will follow with a date against Tunisia before hosts Kenya play Zimbabwe.