Strathmore Leos staged a dramatic late comeback to edge Kenya Harlequin 28-27 in a pulsating encounter at Strathmore Complex.
The match kicked off with Kenya Harlequin struggling to find their rhythm, conceding two early tries as Strathmore Leos asserted dominance.
Strathmore Leos opener
Kenya 7s skipper George Ooro made an electric start, breaking through the Quins’ defensive line to dot down under the posts. Arnold Muita coolly slotted the conversion, giving Leos an early 7-0 lead.
Despite conceding multiple penalties, Strathmore’s defence stood firm, frustrating Quins’ efforts to convert territory into points.
The hosts capitalised on their defensive resilience with Gabriel Ayimbo slicing through the right wing to extend their lead with another try. Muita once again added the extras, pushing the score to 14-0.
Quins finally responded by converting a penalty to get their first points on the board at 14-3.
Their momentum built up as their fly-half expertly converted a well-worked try, reducing the deficit to 14-10.
The visitors took control towards the end of the half, with Matthew Ouma making a daring solo run from his own half, touching down to give Quins a 14-20 lead at the break.
Quins came out strong after the restart, landing another try that was successfully converted, widening the margin to 14-27.
A crucial turning point came when Leos were awarded back-to-back penalties in promising positions, but both attempts at goal sailed wide, missing the opportunity to close the gap.
However, Leos finally found their breakthrough when their backline combined brilliantly to breach Quins’ defence, touching down for a converted try that brought the score to 21-27.
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With the game hanging in the balance, Strathmore kept applying pressure in Quins’ territory, forcing the visitors into conceding multiple penalties.
Arnold Muita had another shot at goal but failed to convert, leaving the hosts agonisingly short of the lead.
As the match entered its dying moments, Leos remained relentless and finally found a try after a struggle. With the score at 26-27, all eyes were on Muita for the crucial conversion that would determine the outcome.
Strathmore winner
This time, the fly-half held his nerve, sending the ball cleanly through the posts, completing the comeback at 28-27.
Quins scrambled to respond, but time was against them. A scrum fed by Leos saw the ball kicked into touch, signalling full-time before Quins could mount another attack.
