Kenya’s aspirations to compete in the eFootball and PUBG Mobile events of the forthcoming Global Esports Games were halted at the African qualifying rounds.
At the group stage of eFootball, Harry Kappa initially performed well, defeating South Sudan, Somalia, and Djibouti. However, losses to Algeria and Senegal resulted in a spot in the semi-finals.
In the semi-finals, Kappa couldn’t pull through and lost with a 2-1 defeat to Ghana and an identical loss to Nigeria in the third-place playoffs. This playoff game was their final chance at qualification.
Senegal, Algeria, Tunisia, and Ghana have succeeded in qualifying for the international spectacle.
Kenya finished seventh in the PUBG category, missing the opportunity for qualification. Algeria, Nigeria, and Somalia moved forward instead.
Head Coach Peter Mumu praised his team for the commendable effort they displayed.
“Even though we didn’t secure a qualification, we have gained invaluable lessons and experience. Most of our players are in their late teens, and the knowledge they acquired from this stage will benefit their future in the game,” stated Mumu.
The Kenyan team can still redeem themselves by qualifying for the street fighter category in the qualifiers scheduled for the following weekend. The only Kenyan team to qualify for the Global Esports Games so far is the Dota2 women team who dominated the African qualifiers.
The Global Esports Games is scheduled to take place from December 11 to 17 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.