Kenya 7s fell short in their opening match at the Vancouver 7s, losing 24-0 to Argentina at BC Place on Saturday morning.
The team was hoping to rise in the World 7s Series standings after being placed in the relegation playoff zone following the first three rounds.
Kenya 7s record
The match was always going to be a tough one for Shujaa, as Argentina were fresh off a victory at the Perth 7s and were looking to extend their winning streak in Vancouver.
Kenya have only beaten Argentina once in the last 10 meetings, with that sole victory coming in 2019.
Argentina took an early lead through speedster Marcos Moneta, whose try was converted for a 7-0 advantage. The South American side continued to dominate the game, forcing Kenya into a defensive corner. Shujaa’s co-captain George Ooro was yellow-carded as Argentina pressed on.
Luciano Gonzalez came close to breaking through Kenya’s defense, but a mishandling of the ball allowed Moneta to pounce and score his second try.
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He completed a hat trick shortly afterward, outrunning Patrick Odongo to make it 17-0 at halftime, with Kenya barely escaping their 22-metre area.
The second half saw Joaquin Pellandini sell a dummy off a ruck and score to extend Argentina’s lead to 24-0 after a successful conversion.
Despite Kenya bringing on Jone Kubu, they were unable to turn the tide. The team suffered another setback when Vincent Onyala received a yellow card for intentional ball tapping.
Argentina continued to dominate, pinning Kenya in their own half and securing a comprehensive victory.
Shujaa will now face France in their next match, with France having lost their opening game to Great Britain 26-7. The match is set for 5:13 a.m. East African Time.
