Malkia Strikers head coach Geoffrey Omondi and captain Medina Sande have called on Kenyans to turn up in large numbers at Kasarani Indoor Arena as the defending champions continue their quest to retain the African women's volleyball crown.Download our Mozzart Sport app for more newsKenya opened its 2026 CAVB Women's African Nations Volleyball Championship campaign in commanding fashion on Tuesday evening, sweeping aside Zambia 3-0 (25-14, 25-9, 25-11) to immediately announce their status as the team to beat on home soil.##NAJAVA_MECA_9915631##With the tournament also serving as Africa's qualifier for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games and the 2027 FIVB World Championship, Omondi believes the home crowd could play a crucial role as the Malkia Strikers pursue another continental title."Let them continue supporting us. They are our seventh player, as I have said before. We need their support. We are playing at home, and we need to retain this trophy," said Omondi.The coach was pleased with the opening performance but admitted Zambia's slower attacking approach presented his players with a problem they had not anticipated during preparations."Our defence for the slower attackers is something we need to work on. The opponents played a bit of a slow game, whereas we trained for a faster game, so at times we kind of got bored. That is something we will rectify moving forward," he added.Sande echoed her coach's appeal, urging supporters to turn Kasarani into a difficult venue for Kenya's opponents as the competition moves into the decisive stages."We are the African champions, and we expect a packed house. Please come out in large numbers and support us. It makes the job so much easier on the court," the captain said.The skipper also believes the current squad has the right blend to mount another serious title challenge, with the enthusiasm of the younger players complemented by the experience of those who have already competed at the highest level.Malkia Strikers handed bye as 7 matches highlight day 2 of CAVB Women's African Championship"The energy from the younger players is superb, while the senior players bring invaluable experience from previous World Championships and the Olympics. It's a great mix, and having that extra edge works to our advantage," she said.The victory over Zambia has already put Kenya in a strong position in Pool A, with the defending champions set to face Mali in their final group match. A win would confirm top spot and send the hosts into the knockout stage with maximum momentum.Kenya have already secured a quarter-final place, while Morocco's absence from the 15-team championship means the Malkia Strikers need victory over Mali to formally seal first position in the group.The opening round of matches produced several commanding performances across the two Nairobi venues.Kenya's CAVB Women's African Nations Volleyball Championship title defense off to a flyer against ZambiaUganda made a strong start in Group B at Kasarani, sweeping Senegal 3-0 (25-21, 25-15, 25-16), while Egypt, the 2023 runners-up, produced the day's most emphatic set by crushing Burkina Faso 25-3 on their way to another 3-0 victory, winning the other sets 25-15 and 25-15.Former champions Cameroon also opened their campaign with a straight-sets victory, beating Ghana 25-16, 25-20 and 25-14.At the Ulinzi Sports Complex, the Democratic Republic of Congo defeated Burundi 3-0 (25-16, 25-17, 25-16), while Rwanda saw off Algeria in straight sets, 25-22, 25-20 and 25-16.##NAJAVA_MECA_9915627##Tunisia were forced to work harder for their victory, recovering from a first-set loss to beat Nigeria 3-1 (18-25, 25-23, 25-20, 25-20) in the tournament's only four-set match on the opening day.Kenya, however, now turns attention to Mali and the opportunity to finish the group stage on top before the knockout rounds begin.
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