African Games: Wafalme Stars overpower Cameroon to storm final

Coach Elisha Aliwa’s reign as Wafalme Stars head coach begins on a high as the side makes their first-ever African Games (previously All Africa Games) final at the ongoing Games in Accra, Ghana.

Facing African powerhouse and defending champions Cameroon in the semis, Wafalme put up a show to defeat the Central Africans 3-0 (25-23, 25-23, 25-17) to storm the final slated for Saturday 23 March.

Aliwa, who was the side’s main setter when the Kenyan men last featured in the continental games in 2011, is making his debut as head coach in the absence of Gideon Tarus and has surpassed his playing days achievement, leading the side to the final.

The other semi-final slated for Friday evening pits hosts Ghana against reigning bronze medalists Egypt with the winner facing off with Aliwa’s charges for gold.

Wafalme Stars last featured in the competition in 2011, settling for bronze, the highest finish for the side since the Games’ inception. Prior to the rare bronze, the Kenyan men had finished fourth in 2007.

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Aliwa’s charges, who went to battle without the foreign-based legion, opened their campaign with a 3-0 win over Chad in the group stage and have barely put a foot wrong as they saw off hosts Ghana by a similar margin before completing a perfect group stage run with another straight-sets victory over Gambia.

In the quarters, Kenya beat Burkina Faso 3-0 to storm the semis where they took on Cameroon for another victory that will see the East Africans head to the final without dropping a set.