Malkia Strikers punched a deserved ticket to the final of the 2026 CAVB Women's African Nations Championship following a comprehensive 3-0 annihilation of the tournament’s second-most successful nation, Cameroon, at a boisterous Kasarani Indoor Arena on Thursday, 3 September.Download our Mozzart Sport app for more newsKenya will now take on Egypt in the final on Saturday, 5 September, who are the joint-second-most successful side in the competition with three titles, for a chance to extend their record to 11 titles and defend the crown they won in Cameroon back in 2023.Tusker coach reveals lessons learned after accompanying players to watch Malkia StrikersApart from a place in the final, the victory over Cameroon also came with added incentive, as Kenya have now also booked a place in the 2027 FIVB World Championship, with a win over Egypt in the final guaranteeing them a place in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.Kenya qualified for the semi-finals after a hard-fought 3-1 win over Algeria in the quarter-finals, while Cameroon overcame Uganda 3-0 in their last eight encounter.##NAJAVA_MECA_9930417##The semi-final encounter marked the first time that the West African nation dropped sets in the tournament, once again proving Kenya's prowess.Malkia Strikers started the match like a house on fire, racing to a 6-2 lead in the early stages, forcing Cameroon to call for a time-out.Malkia Strikers coach eases vulnerability concerns ahead of Cameroon showdownThe break seemed to have worked wonders for Cameroon as they not only drew level but also took an 8-7 lead.Nonetheless, Malkia Strikers would then utilise their quality to regain the lead, opening up a four-point gap at the 16-point mark.##NAJAVA_MECA_9930459##Buoyed by the vociferous home crowd, Kenya managed to cruise to a 25-19 opening set victory to set the stage for a remarkable evening.Cameroon returned as a much more rejuvenated side in the second set and, from the onset, took the lead as Kenya momentarily struggled to match the West African's tempo.Omondi reveals tactical change that earned Malkia Strikers hard-fought win over AlgeriaThe 2021 champions grabbed a 12-9 lead, forcing coach Geoffrey Omondi to request a time-out to reorganise his troops.Omondi’s pep talk seemed to bear fruit as Malkia Strikers enjoyed an impressive spell in the game, taking the lead and eventually winning the set 25-21, with the overall kills standing at 26, majority coming courtesy of the outstanding Terry Tata.##NAJAVA_MECA_9930456##The third set was fiercely contested, but Kenya dug deep to secure a 25-20 win to book a ticket to the finals, where they will meet Egypt, who walloped Tunisia 3-0.
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