Algeria battled to a tough win over African rivals Kenya at the FIVB World Cup in Okayama on Sunday. Algeria prevailed 3-1 (19-25, 25-20, 25-16, 25-23) at Momotaro Arena to earn their first win of the tournament.
Algeria’s top scorer Faiza Tsabet won the Most Impressive Player award after netting 23 points. The only other Algerian to get into double figure was Lydia Oulmou with 12 points. Kenya’s top scorers were Everlyne Makuto and Moim Mercy with 20 points each.
The scores remained tied through 6-6, when Algeria went on a five-point surge, with three good strikes from Faiza Tsabet, a block by Fatima Zahra Oukazi on Moim Mercy and a brilliant well-placed push shot from Oukazi. But a big Mercy hit and a service ace by setter Jannet Wanja got Kenya back into the game. Everlyne Makuto then came up with four big points, followed by a block by Brackcides Khadambi on Salima Hammouche that drew the teams level at 15. Then it was the Kenyans’ turn to surge, with Mercy taking over the scoring in the final phase. When Khadambi made a brilliant block on Tsabet to make the score 20-15, there was no way back for Algeria. A netted shot by Tsabet brought setpoint and Makuto finished off the set with a bullet through the Algerian defence.
The Kenyans switched off at the start of the second set. Algeria’s first six points came on Kenyan errors, while Kenya’s sole point before coach Paul Bitok called a timeout at 1-6 was a Mercy thunderbolt. But after three straight errors from his players, Algerian coach Ahmed Boukacem hauled his team off court. A block by Lydia Maiyo on Safia Boukhima brought the teams level at 8-8 but good work from Tsabet and Aicha Mezemate allowed Algeria to pull away again and they were five points ahead at the second TTO. Boukacem called a timeout after Kenya pulled to within two points at 18-20, but that was as close as Kenya could get. A sharp hit from Tsabet brought up setpoint and a netted served by Wanja drew the teams level at 1-1.
Both teams were guilty of errors in the early part of the third set, but it was Algeria who moved ahead. But they found it difficult to extend their lead. They were three points ahead at the first TTO after a Kenyan error allowed Boukhima to score and also at the second TTO after a decent slap by Lydia Oulmou. After pulling to within a point at 16-15, Kenya lost the plot. Five Kenyan errors and a service ace by Melinda Raissa Hennaoui helped the Algerians into a 23-15 lead. A netted shot by Mercy brought up setpoint and a net error by Florence Bosire put Algeria 2-1 up.
It was Algeria’s turn to lose the plot at the start of the fourth set and three poor errors allowed Kenya to take a 6-3 lead, but two hits and a block by Oulmou brought Algeria back into the game and a reception error by Tarus put them one point ahead at the first TTO. Kenya got sloppy again and the Algerians found themselves with a four-point lead at 14-10, but Khadambi earned two points at the net and Makuto sent over a sharp spike that drew the teams level at 15. Back came the Algerians and Bitok had to call his players off court after two shots by Tsabet opened up a four-point gap at 20-16. Some awesome defence extended that by a point before Kenya pulled two points back and Khadambi sent a serve into the net. A super first-time tipover by Oukazi made the score 23-19 before a great crosscourt shot by Mercy and netted shots by Mezemate and Tsabet put Kenya within a point at 23-22. Matchpoint came on a shot by Tsabet and after a Makuto rocket saved one, a hit by Tassadit Aissou sealed the match for Algeria.
