Collins Injera inspired Shujaa to a 24-19 win over the USA in a dramatic Canada Sevens semifinal, setting up a date against Fiji in the cup final at 4.19am EAT.
It was the USA, winners at last weekend’s USA Sevens in Las Vegas who started well, going 14-0 up through Perry Baker’s two converted tries.
Nelson Oyoo scored the first of his two tries in emphatic fashion, receiving the ball and leaving USA battering ram Danny Barrett for dead to touch down. Sammy Oliech added the conversion to half the deficit.
Injera would read Folau Niua’s loose pass like a book, pouncing on it and racing clear before getting caught by Carlin Isles but he had the ability to fly the ball all the way out to Oyoo who went over for his brace, the 14-12 score seeing Shujaa trail the USA by two points at the break.
Isles restored the USA’s lead, scoring at the corner after the restart but pulled up with what looked like an uncomfortable hamstring.
Shujaa kept snapping at the USA, forcing them into errors. They would find themselves in possession, Collins Injera turning back the clock and creating a sumptuous try for Willy Ambaka, Eden Agero converting to tie up the score.
The USA gained the ball back from the restart and progressed up the field with purpose but the indefatigable Injera gained a monster turnover at the breakdown, popping the ball to Agero who offloaded to Oscar Ouma, nothing was going to stop Ouma from crossing the chalk and winning the game for Kenya, making their first cup final since that famous 30-7 win over Fiji at the 2016 Singapore Sevens.
