The Kenya Lionesses registered their first victory at the Los Angeles Sevens promotion and relegation playoffs, narrowly defeating Colombia 7-5 in a tightly contested match.
The Lionesses had earlier suffered back-to-back defeats in Pool A, losing 33-14 to Spain and 28-10 to Brazil. Determined to bounce back, they put on a resilient performance against Colombia in their final pool match.
Colombia struck first, with Meribel Mestra scoring a try in the third minute. However, Laura Mejia missed the conversion, giving Colombia a slim 5-0 lead at halftime.
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Kenya responded strongly after the break. Sharon Auma powered over the line in the eighth minute, and Sinaida Nyachio successfully added the conversion to put the Lionesses ahead 7-5 a lead they held onto until full-time.
Following the crucial win, the Kenya Lionesses are now set to face South Africa in the playoff final at 12.16 AM as they continue their quest for promotion to the 2026 HSBC SVNS Division 2.
Only the top four teams from the playoffs will earn a place in the restructured global series, a target firmly in the Lionesses’ sights.
