The Kenya Lionesses wrapped up a difficult home tournament with a 14-5 loss to Spain in their final round-robin fixture of the HSBC SVNS 2 Nairobi, a result that summed up a challenging campaign for the hosts.
Coming into the contest, the Lionesses were desperate to register their second victory of the tournament after enduring a run of tough results.
There was visible intent from the opening whistle as Kenya looked to impose themselves physically, especially through the forwards, who carried hard into contact and competed aggressively at the breakdown.
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Kenya Lionesses fall to Spain in their final round of HSBC SVNS 2 Nairobi
That early pressure paid dividends almost immediately. In the second minute, sustained phases inside Spain’s 22 eventually stretched the defence, allowing Freshia Oduor to power over the try line from close range. The conversion attempt sailed wide a minute later, but Kenya had drawn first blood and taken a 5-0 lead.
Buoyed by the early score, the Lionesses tightened their defensive line, showing good spacing and discipline to shut down Spain’s wide channels.
Kenya repeatedly forced turnovers and slowed Spain’s ball at the ruck, frustrating their opponents for much of the first half. However, Spain’s patience eventually paid off.
In the closing moments of the opening half, a clever piece of play caught the Kenyan defence flat-footed. Spain exploited a brief mismatch, with Abril Camacho slicing through to score a crucial try. Silvia Morales added the extras, handing Spain a 7-5 advantage as they headed into the break.
Spain returned for the second half with renewed tempo and sharper execution. A well-worked move through the middle of the park, orchestrated by Anne Fernandez, created space out wide.
The ball was quickly shifted to Marta, who released Denisse Gortazar on the right flank to touch down in the corner. Carmen Miranda calmly converted, extending Spain’s lead to 14-5 and putting the game beyond Kenya’s reach.
The Lionesses continued to fight, showing admirable grit despite the scoreboard pressure. A speculative kick ahead nearly produced a late breakthrough, but the ball ran just beyond Janet Okello’s reach, denying Kenya a chance to reduce the deficit.
Spain managed the closing stages well, controlling possession and seeing out the match to claim victory. The win secured Spain a third-place finish in Nairobi, while Argentina topped the standings and South Africa finished second.
For the Kenya Lionesses, the loss marked their fifth defeat of the tournament, leaving them with just one win from the competition.
