- Africa Gold Cup
- Kenya 33-33 Uganda
The Rugby Cranes have started the 2017 Africa Gold Cup with a morale boosting 33-all draw with the Kenya Simbas Saturday evening in Nairobi.
Full back Philip Wokorach made up for his lacklustre show in Kampala with a 100% kicking display.
Uganda took lead when Wokorach converted a penalty before drilling in the extras off Mathias Ochwo’s try.
Kenya chose to look for tries early in the game but their efforts to break the Ugandan defence line went futile until Darwin Mukidza decided to go for points and get the home side onto the scoreboard.
Kenya’s David Ambunya set Ojee for the first try for the hosts and bring the score to 8-10.
Uganda were punished for infringement and center Pius Ogena was sent to the sinbin. Kenya capitalized as Moses Amusala touched down but Mukidza sent the conversion wide.
Wokorach’s boot was needed again as the full back punished the home side with a penalty to level matters at 13-all. Mukidza’s penalty restored the lead for Jerome Parwaater to take a 16-13 lead into halftime.
John Duncan’s charges returned from the locker room with a bang. The Ugandan pack bullied the Kenyans to their try line and Brian Asaba crossed the white wash to give the Cranes the lead.
Ojee crossed the white line for the second time in the game to give the home side a 23-20.
The two sides kept exchanging leads. Ivan Magomu’s brilliant break of the Kenyan line set up Michael Wokorach for Uganda’s try.
Uganda led by seven points deep into the second half and conceding a penalty try that leveled matters for the home side to share spoils in the first game of the Africa Gold Cup.
The two sides continue with their Africa Cup as Kenya hosting Tunisia while Uganda travel to Dakar for a duel with Senegal on July 1.