11TH
AFRICAN NATIONS CHAMPIONSHIPS JUNIOR MEN
Morocco won the trophy
IT
was thrills and spills as the 11th edition of African Nations
Championships Junior Men Volleyball Championships ended with
Morocco being crowned the new champions after beating Tunisia in
a thrilling final match at Kasarani yesterday.
Never before has high quality volleyball among the juniors been
witnessed in Kenya as Moroccan lads beat a determined
Tunisia side 3-2 (23-25, 25-22, 23-25, 25-21, 11-15) sets in a
match befitting a final after one week of young talents being
identified among Africa’s future heroes. The two finalists
automatically qualified to represent Africa at the Word
Championships that will be held in New Delhi, India next year.
Outgoing champions Egypt who had lost to Morocco in the semi
finals had to settle for the bronze medal after beating
hosts Kenya 3-0 (25-19, 25-16, 26-24) sets. Despite losing 0-3,
Kenya who were cheered on by the home fans gave Egypt a big
scare in the third set before going down 24-26.
Morocco won the fantastic final
it was a thriller or a deserved victory that briefly sums up the
description of the final match of 11th African Nations
Championships Junior Men Volleyball Tournament which Morocco
displayed a technical game to beat a determined
Tunisia side 3-2 (23-25, 25-22, 23-25, 25-21, 11-15) sets at Moi
International Sports Centre Kasarani yesterday.
Enroot to the finals, Morocco eliminated defending champions
Egypt 3-1 while Tunisia saw off hosts Kenya 3-0 and since both
Morocco and Tunisia reached the last two without losing a match,
the encounter between the two North African nations turned out
to be a befitting climax of the championships.
When the referee blew the whistle to throw off the first set of
the final match, Morocco took a 1-0, 2-0 lead before Tunisia
made 2-1, 2-2, 2-3. From there the two sides exchanged with
Tunisia’s Warne and Hesadik causing Morocco some anxious moments
with dangerous moves at the net.
By the first official technical time out Tunisia led 8-6 but
allowed Morocco to fight back and narrow the points to 8-6, 8-7
before Tunisia again opened the gap 9-7, 10-7, 11-7. Morocco’s
Bairi Zakaria produced some fantastic attacking skills which saw
them give chase and take the lead 12-11, 13-11, 14-11, 15- 11
before Tunisia regained their pause to make it 15-12, 15-13,
15-15.
Morocco’s Zakaria once again produced some magic which saw his
side pull away to lead 16-15 at the second official technical
time out and from there onwards the two sides exchanged the lead
before Morocco took the first set 25-23.
The second set belonged to Tunisia from the word go as they took
an early lead 1-0, 1-1, 2-1, 3-1, 4-1, 5-1, 6-1, 7-2 and 8-2 by
the first technical time out with Kaab Hichem playing his heart
out. Morocco fought back to trail 7-9 later both teams tied 11-
11, 12-12, 13-13, 14-14 before Morocco opened the lead t 16-15
at the second official technical time out.
Mrabet Marrone and Ben Brick who was voted Most Valuable Player
of the tournament led Tunisia’s attack which saw the two teams
exchange the lead before Tunisia pulled away to level matters by
clinching the second set 25-22.
As if determined to make a repeat in the third set, Tunisia took
the early initiative and maintained the lead at 8-2 until the
first
official technical time out. Determined to reclaim the third set
Morocco took the game to the Tunisians as the two sides
exchanged the lead but at the second technical time out Morocco
led 16-15 with Tunisia taking the lead at 21-20. The
teams tied 21-21, 22-22, 23-23 after which Morocco ran away with
a 25-23 victory.
Morocco to an early lead in the fourth set before Tunisia over
took them to lead 8-5 at the first official technical time out
and
maintained the lead 16-12 at the second official technical time
out after which it was a closely fought battle with Tunisia
clinching the set 25-21 to take the game into a fifth set.
In the fifth set the crowd was treated to entertaining
volleyball as Morocco took the lead 1-0, 2-0, 2-1, 3-1, 3-2,
4-2, 5-2, 6-2 and 8-6 at first official time out. There was no
denying Morocco victory as Esseddyq attacked and defended
superbly to seal Tunisia’s fate 15-11 and be crowned the new
champions.
Egypt won bronze medal
OUTGOING champions Egypt beat hosts Kenya 3-0 (25-19, 25- 16,
26-24) sets in the playoffs to settle for the bronze medal as
11th edition of African Nations Championships Junior Men
Volleyball Tournament ended in Nairobi yesterday.
Kenya failed to match Egypt in the first set which the North
African dominated and easily went to win 25-19 and followed it
with another win in the second set which they sealed 25-16 as
the home fans who had turned up to cheer their team watched in
disbelief.
However in the third and last set, Kenyan lads gave Egypt a run
for their money as they improved their game and led at some
point but it was the more drilled Egyptians who emerged the
winners 26-24 to settle for the third position.
By Jack Kwemba- Press Officer – Kenya Volleyball Federation
CGI
