In Kelibia, Tunisia

Kenya Prisons are only two hurdles away from reclaiming the Africa Clubs Championship title they last won in 2013. 

David Lung’aho’s charges only need to beat Carthage Wednesday and land in the final on Friday where either Nigeria’s Customs Services or Tunisian champions CS Sfaxien lie in wait. 

Prisons, who are missing six key players currently with the national team preparing for the Tokyo Olympics, have outdone themselves coming out of a tough Pool “A” to reach the semi-finals. 

But in Carthage, who are unbeaten in this competition and yet to drop a set, they will face perhaps their biggest test in this competition. 

The 2017 champions have not put a foot wrong in this tournament finishing top of Pool “B” with maximum 15 points and coach Rkaya Kamel seems to have found the right combination in Tumas Marina, Hamouda Mona, Othmani Abir, Ben Solatane Ghofrane, Boughanmi Marwa and skipper Khouloud Jinhani. 

“I expect a tough semi-final. Carthage is a very strong team, they are playing very well. I’ve watched them…they have beaten Pipeline strongly and I believe they are going to come at us even strongly. We played them once in 2017 and they beat us 3-1 but we have our eyes set on the final,” assessed Lung’aho. 

“We need to really get composed in the initial stages of the game. We are going to have a planning meeting to plan how well we can tackle them,” he added. 

Carthage’s outside hitters Jinhani, Mona and opposite Marina have been their best players in the tournament so far and Lung’aho insists they have to block well to stand a chance of winning the game. Prisons middle blockers Shyrine Jepkemboi, Ann Lowem and Lydia Maiyo have stood out in front court defence so far.  

“I want to work on my blocking. It has been good here in Tunisia and I believe that is something we can use to stop Carthage. If our blocks come out well, we are going to score many points and that will motivate us further into winning,” noted Lung’aho.

“Our attack has not been so good but I think if we continue blocking the way we have been doing, it’s going to motivate the attackers to play even better.” 

Lung’aho will also be banking on the experienced Prackcides Agala, Maiyo, Diana Khisa and Judith Tarus to guide youngsters Herma Jepyego, Meldine Sande and Yvonne Wavinya who have been impressive in the group stages. The trio are the only surviving members of the 2013-title winning side. 

“The experience I have in my team is one thing I will be counting on because playing against Carthage at home is not very easy. We came here with one notion that we want to go to the final and our way to the final is only by beating Carthage. It’s not going to be easy but it’s something that we can do because we have done it before,” underlined Lung’aho. 

Meanwhile, Kenya’s other representatives Pipeline will play Wolaita Sodo University of Ethiopia in the fifth place semi-finals on Wednesday.

Pipeline will face the winner between KO Kelibia of Tunisia and AS Douanes in the fifth place final on Thursday. 

Wednesday Fixtures (all matches at Aissa Ben Nasr Hall)

Classification matches 

Position 9-10 

ASEC Mimosas (Cote d’Ivoire) v National Alcohol (Ethiopia) 12pm 

Position 5-8 semi-finals 

KO Kelibia (Tunisia) v AS Douanes (Burkina Faso) 2pm 

Pipeline (Kenya) v Wolaita Sodo University (Ethiopia) 4pm 

Semi-finals matches 

Carthage (Tunisia) v Prisons (Kenya) 6pm 

CS Sfaxien (Tunisia) v Customs (Nigeria) 8.30pm