Kenya’s national women’s netball team, the Divas, outclassed Ireland 52-42 in their fifth match of the UAE Netball Cup in Dubai on Friday evening.
The Divas had a shaky start, trailing 16-12 at the end of the first quarter. In response, head coach Mugisha Ali made a tactical switch, bringing on reserve goalkeeper Teresia Othuon in place of Pauline Ramadhan — a move that turned the tide in Kenya’s favour.
With renewed momentum, the Divas edged ahead 26-23 at halftime, thanks in large part to a standout performance by Delilah Akinyi.
Hellen Sinoya later replaced her and carried the torch effectively, linking up well with Dorine Akinyi in attack to extend the lead to 38-35 by the third quarter.
Ireland pushed hard for a comeback in the final stretch, but Kenya’s defensive stalwarts — captain Paris Simiyu and Elsa Ndong — held firm, ensuring a 52-42 victory.
This marks the Divas’ third win in the tournament, having previously defeated the United States and hosts UAE.
The two sides will meet again on Saturday in the third-place playoff, with Kenya aiming to cap off their campaign on a high note.
Meanwhile, Namibia advanced to the final after crushing the USA 66-30 and will face Singapore in the title decider.