The Kenya Lionesses wrapped up the opening leg of the HSBC 7s Series in Nairobi with a loss to Spain in their final match, concluding a campaign marked by determination but troubled by sluggish beginnings.
In the decisive match, Kenya commenced strongly when Freshia Oduor scored a try within two minutes. Nevertheless, Spain responded with tries from Abril Camacho Ruiz and Denisse Gortazar in the eighth minute, subsequently adding converted tries from Silvia Morales and Carmen Miranda Miralles in the ninth.
Despite their initial lead, Kenya failed to sustain their momentum and ultimately fell short of victory.
Across five matches, Kenya secured only one wina remarkable recovery against Brazil during their opening day. Down 12-0 early in the contest, the Lionesses rallied with tries from Stella Wafula in the 8th minute, Janet Okelo in the 9th minute, and Naomi Amuguni in the 12th minute to claim the victory.
This display underscored the team’s fighting spirit, but also revealed a persistent pattern of conceding early in most games, which forced Kenya to play catch-up with insufficient time to complete their comebacks.
Coach Simon Odongo commented on the tournament, noting, “It was a difficult competition, but I believe the players performed well today. Many of these women had never experienced playing in a full stadium before,” he added that the team experienced nervousness.
Moving forward, the Lionesses must concentrate on improving their starts and maintaining intensity from the beginning as they prepare for the subsequent rounds in Montevideo, Uruguay (March 21-22, 2026), and Sao Paulo, Brazil (March 28-29, 2026), aiming to transform their potential into consistent international success.