Match day 2 in the mens group continued with mouth-watering clashes as Trustees earned first win with Niger flickers and GRA picking up vital points. Ghana’s trustees played Nigeria’s police machine in the first match of the day. The match which was a meeting of domestic league runners-up as they both sought their first win in the competition. Talismanic Johnny Botsio got the entire stadium cheering as he put Trustees in front from a penalty corner in the 13th minute. It was the second penalty corner in succession and Botsio scored with a drag flick into the top right corner after goalkeeper Sani Almustapha had parried the first attempt. The first quarter came ended with Trustees all smiles. Police Machine came strong in the second quarter and created lots of chances but failed to convert. The home crowd were taken through heart breaking moments as the Nigerians mounted pressure. Tettey Francis with a fine solo effort going past three defenders, increased the tally for the home side. The second goal added more confidence to the Trustees side as they went in search for more goals. Their efforts paid off in the 55th minute when Rahman Anum scored to make it 3-0. Police machine were left frustrated and down spirited after losing their second successive match. Match day one winners El Sharkia of Egypt and Niger Flickers faced off in the second match. The egyptian champions were poised and eager to make it two wins in two matches with the Nigerian champions ready to spoil the party. El Sharkia mounted pressure on Flickers from the umpires whistle blast but the likes of Adamu Kollo in defence for Flickers ensured the game was still barren. Kelvin Linus on the other hand proved a threat for the Sharkia defence with his tricky runs and perfect stick work. El sharkia thought they had gone in front in the 29th minute when awarded a penalty stroke. Yakubu Aliyu in post for Niger Flickers prevented skipper Ibrahim Sameer form getting on the score sheet. With the game still barren, the Egyptians started showing signs of frustration with the aggressive play of the flickers. The deadlock was finally broken in the 39th minute when Gobran Hossam made a solo run into the ‘D’ before hitting past Aliyu in post with a reverse stroke to put El Sharkia in front. Bernard Wilson levelled the scoreline for Niger Flickers with a penalty stroke in the 52nd minute. Time was running for both teams but El Sharkia won their second penalty stroke after Sham Sudeen prevented Moahmed Aly’s shot at goal with his foot. Moahmed Essam steeped up this time to take instead of skipper Sameer who had missed one earlier. Essam sending goalkeeper Aliyu to the wrong way, watched his flicked effort hit the post to the admiration of the entire flickers team. Game ended 1-1. Speaking to isports360 after the game, Coach Nuhu of Flickers said, “the last penalty stroke was a wrong call and that shows how bad the officiating was. We could have won this game but luck wasnt on our side. We are on course after our first two games but it’s still a long journey to the final”. Ghanaian champions GRA hosted eastern company in the final game for match day 2. The stadium was filled to capacity as the spectators came in their numbers to support the home team. Eastern Company almost silenced the entire stadium in the 13th minute when Ibrahim Amr’s, drag flicked, penalty corner almost found its way to the top right corner of Acheampong’s goal post. Ashifie Prince sent the entire stadium into rapturous mood when he scored in the 41st minute to put GRA in the lead. The goal sparked life into GRA as they mounted pressure on eastern company but failing to convert the many chance created. The moment of silence came in thhe 50th minute when El Badry Mahmoud equalised from a penalty stroke. GRA played their hearts out in the final 10 minutes in search of the match winner but luck was not on their side as time run out before they could score. The goal did not stand since the final whistle had gone. The game ended with both teams sharing the points. Source: isports360.com

 It was a match day of local derbies in the ladies category of the ongoing Africa Cup for Club Champions. The matches were between domestic league champions and their runner’s up and the champions prevailed. The Nigerians got us underway in match day two as Nigeria super league champions Kada Queens engaged Yobe Dessert Queens. As expected of every local derby, the match was played under tensed moments with both teams needing a win badly after losing respective opening matches. Justina Onyedum and skipper Ajuma Ejengwa stood out tall in the Yobe setup troubling the Kada Queens team. The first, second and third quarters travelled barren with both teams eager and anxious to make a mark. The game which had been boring to spectators who had made their way into the stadium still had exciting moments to come Kada Queens, started the fourth quarter with a more attacking style of play which made the Yobe desert defence very uncomfortable and prone to mistakes. Kada queens were awarded a penalty stroke in the 51st minute after Ikiriko Bomiegha’s powerful hit was stopped on the goal line by a field player in the person of Ajuma Ejengwa. Ikiriko stepped up to take the penalty stroke and made no mistake to slot the ball home. The match ended with Kada queens 1-0 winners over Yobe Queens. Defending champions Telkom hockey club, then took to the pitch to take on Strathmore in the all Kenyan affair. After failing to beat Telkom in as many matches, Coach Senge and ladies came solely to end that bad run. Telkom started the match on their slow pace as usual with Strathmore playing more offensive and fast. The match saw chances being created at both ends with Okumu Gilly of Strahmore getting the most. Joint top scorer in the competition so far, Lucy Wangechi failed to replicate her performance in the opening game as Atigo Barbara and Bariti Diana in the Strathmore defence put her in check. The best chance though fell to Audrey Amooh in the 20th minute, but the young attacker one on one with goalkeeper Otieno Maria couldn’t make good use of it. Telkom started to mount pressure on Strathmore in the third and final quarter. However, the champions maintaind composure  and finally got that match winner. AmoohAudery who had a goal disallowed earlier, took advantage of a defensive error to punsh Strathmore. The final whistle went with Kenya league champions Telkom beating strathmore by a lone goal to go top in the ladies category. Coach Jos Openda speaking after the match, said, “We knew how difficult the match would turn out after watching them play their opening game. We saw how fast and offensive they were and hence stuck to our slow pacy style which worked. We will keep it calm and see if we can defend the trophy”. Ghana’s duo of league champions GRA and runner’s up Police ladies gave the entire stadium something to cheer about in the last derby match of the day. It was a game of interest to Ghanaians in their quest to lift the trophy. After winning respective opening matches, GRA and Police ladies came into this game highly motivated. A game which did not see more chances created, still gave the home crowd a feel of a local derby. A misunderstanding in defence gifted Elizabeth Opoku a glorious chance and the Ghanaian international made no mistake slotting the ball home. The former SWAG (Sports Writers Association of Ghana) female hockey player of Ghana who has been missing in the competition steeped up and proved to be the decider. Ghana Police ladies led by Umaru Nafisatu dominated the third and fourth quater but GRA’s defense came to being especially Fosua Emelia who made two timely goal bound interventions.The game ended with GRA 1-0 winners. The win puts GRA joint top with Telkom while Ghana Police ladies maintain their third spot with 3 points. a win in the Nigeria derby takes kada queens to 4th place same points with Ghana Police but difference in goals. Strathmore and Yobe desert queens who are both yet to win and score a goal in this competition complete the table in 5th and 6th respectively.

The race to be crowned Africa club champions got underway today at the Theodosia Okoh hockey pitch, Accra, with disappointments for Ghana’s male representatives as both GRA and Trustees lost their opening games. It was defending champions, Eastern Company Club of Egypt who engaged Nigeria’s police machine in the men’s opener. the Egyptians took control of the game right from the start making dangerous runs into the opponents half. Aboutaleb Mahmoud and Rashwan Mohamed made things difficult for the Nigerians with their inter positional play. a penalty corner awarded in the 13th minute was perfectly executed by Aboutaleb Mahmoud with drag flick into the top left corner beating Sani Almustapha in post for Police Machine. Rashwan Mohamed increased the tally two minutes inside the second quarter before Aboutaleb from another penalty corner made it 3-0. the game at this point was out of reach for the Nigerians. However, the final quarter brought the best out of Police Machine with Olayinka Jayeoba and Michael Agbaegbu the main actors. A fantastic solo run from Michael down the left side of Eastern’s defense saw him outwit three defenders before playing the ball past goalkeeper Shehata Farahat to reduce the deficit. The goal seem to have sparked more life into Police Machine but all efforts proved futile. The game ended with Eastern company 3-1 winners. A hat-trick from Linus kelvin was enough to win all maximum points for Niger flickers in their game against Ghana’s Trustees. Kelvin put the flickers ahead as early as the 6th minute with a reverse hit going through the legs of Karikari in post for Trustees. Johnny Botsio leveled the game from a penalty corner. Captain Nsalbini Salya put trustees in front from a penalty stroke after defender John Micheal stopped Botsio’s trademark reverse hit with his leg on the goal line. Flickers equalized five minutes later after goalkeeper Jeffery Karikari allowed Endurance Ngozi’s feeble hit elude him into his post. Coach Edmond Aryeetey decided to bring on John Kenneth in place of Karikari who was having a bad day. Abgeli Samuel put the Ghanaian side in front in the final quarter to send the entire stadium into jubilant mood. Niger Flickers John Michael was shown a straight red card minutes later after a silly foul on Salya Nsalbini to make matters worse for the Nigerians. The party was however cut short for Trustees and the home crowd when Kelvin got his brace with a reverse hit after bad defending form Trustees. He completed his hat-trick four minutes to time with a deflection inside the area from Ngozi’s long hit. Johnny Botsio and his side tried to level the game but the resilience of the flickers defense proved vital. The game ended with Niger Flickers beating trustees 4-3. The final game for match day three produced seven goals as Egyptian champions and competition record title holders, El Sharkia beat Ghanaian champions GRA 5-2. Ahmed Moahmed Aly opened the gates in the 14th minute. A brilliant play from Ahmed Gamal on the right found Aly in the area to tap home from close range. GRA responded in the 27th minute from Micheal Akuamaoh. Gobran Hosam put El Sharkia in front for the second time from a penalty corner. Moahmed Aly made it 3-1 in the 36th minute. The Egyptians who used less energy and allowed the ball travel more looked to have carried the lead into the final quarter before Damalie Luke’s penalty corner goal reduced the deficit for GRA. Luke got injured in the process and had to be replaced after getting the goal. The fourth quarter started with both team very conscious and tactically disciplined. Skipper Sameer Mohamed stepped up to covert their second penalty corner of the game with a drag flick. Gobran put the game beyond GRA in the 51st minute when he deflected Moahmed Aly’s reverse hit cross from the right flank closer to the corner flag. GRA played very well but lack of experience on their part ensured they tasted defeat for the first time in over 12 months of action. Speaking after the contest, Sharkia’s Ahmed Ezz said “We came into this with a sole aim of winning and that is what we did. GRA are a very strong side and showed that in the game…we have won this  game and our focus is on the very next till we get to the final”. El Sharkia’s win put them top of the men’s table with Eastern Company coming second. Niger Flickers with that famous win over trustees lie third level on points with the Egyptians. Ghana’s duo of Trustees and GRA come in 5th and 6th respectively after Nigeria’s police machine.

Defending champions, Telkom Kenya defeated Yobe Queens as Ghana’s GRA and Police ladies team thrash their respective opponents on match day one. The first game of the competition was between Nigerian league champions, Kada Queens and the ladies from Ghana Police. The game started on a rather tense and shaky note but it Ghana Police who took the lead. An inch perfect pass from Cecilia Amoako found Umaru Nafisatu in front of goal who made no mistake to slap the ball home through the legs of goalkeeper Komi Ineh. Nafisatu made it two in the 14th minute after a blunder from the Nigerian defense. She completed her hat trick as early as the 22nd minute from a penalty corner. The second quarter ended with Ghana Police solely in control of the game. Kada queens in the third quarter stepped up their play mounting pressure on the Police team who eventually gave up to concede a goal in the 42nd minute courtesy Aben Nguvan. the pressure piled up after the goal but the Police team’s defense ensured they concede none. The goals were coming for the Ghanaian international, Umaru Nafisatu who got her fourth in the 49th minute from a penalty corner. The game ended 4-1 in favor of Ghana Police. in an interview with isports360 after the match, Umaru Nafisatu said, “We are grateful to God for this victory. i knew i would score but not as many as four. we have started well and hope to clinch the ultimate”. Wangechi Lucy scored four as defending champions Telecom Kenya beat Yobe dessert queens 5-0 in the second game. The champions started the game on a slow pace with the game barren within the fist ten minutes. The game plan of Yobe looked to have worked out as the champions started showing signs of frustrations. The dead lock was however broken in the 10th minute courtesy Lucy Wangechi. The champions took control of the game as Lucy made it 2-0 minutes later. The young bulky attacker completed her hat-trick with a simple goal before Audrey Amooh added her name to the score sheet to make it 4-0. Yobe queens switched to a more defensive play to avoid more goals but Lucy had her own intentions. the young striker latched onto a defensive howler to make it 5-0 for the champions. GRA ladies in the final women’s game of the day beat the young lads from Strathmore University by 4-0. An expected win for GRA by all started in favor of Strathmore who played so well in the first 20 minutes. Okumu Gilly of Strathmore exhibited her technique, pace and skills to keep the GRA defense busy. Skipper Monica Grant put GRA ahead in the 26th minute before Emelia Fosua made it two from a penalty corner in the 35th minute. GRA in full control of the game in the third quarter wasted numerous chances with Elizabeth Opoku the culprit. Vivian Narkuor added the third with a reverse hit before Coffie Ernestina rounded up in the 57th minute. “We started very well holding the GRA team but eventually my ladies lost control and conceded four afterwards”, Coach Senge speaking after the match. “We have not given up the fight and still expect more from my ladies beacause the best is yet to come…Telkom is a very good side but we will still fight this to the very end”, he added. Telkom lead the table with three points same as GRA ladies and Police ladies but superior goal difference. Kada Queens , Strathmore and Yobe complete the table in 4th, 5th and 6th positions respectively. Source: isports360.com

Matches scheduled for the ACCC 2017 Competition   Source: isports360.com

Head coach of Strathmore hockey club, Meshack Senge said his ladies are here to compete and give a good account of themselves ahead of the upcoming championship. He made this known after the team arrived at the Theodosia Okoh hockey pitch on Thursday afternoon ahead of their opener against Ghana’s GRA. The team had a short training session later after arrival with all participanting. “It’s always a big tournament, always the best platform to showcase whatever you have to the rest of the continent. We are happy to arrive safely and we are ready to go. We have participated in four previous editions with a second place our best position hence we are not new to this terrain”. “The girls are looking good and sharp going into the competition hence we can’t complain other than show what we have done. We don’t have much to say about all we have but you will obviously see during the competition. In general, we are happy with our preparations”, he said’ On which clubs that can pose threats, Coach Senge said, “we are all coming here as champions in our own jurisdiction hence no need to put any club ahead as favorites. We are all ready and good hence the need to put up your best matters”. He touched on the weather here in Ghana, “the weather does count a lot in this competition due to the changes in humidity and altitude. This can affect us but you only stress about things you can change and adapt to the ones you have no control over. We are here to have a good show and entertain and get a good result”, he concluded. Strathmore hockey club from Strathmore University, Kenya have participated in the ACCC, four times with a silver medal their best. Source: isports360.com

Defending Club Champions of Africa, Eastern Company Club of Egypt, touched the Kotoka International airport in the early hours of Monday in their bid to defend the trophy. The team arrived in a well motivated mood ahead of the competition. Ahead of the competition, the team trained for the first time at the Theodosia Okoh Hockey Pitch. The team made up of 17 players and 8 officials made entry to the stadium 1300hrs GMT to get accustomed to the turf. Players who were not used to the hot temperature trained with their bare chest saying they have to put in more energy in order to play up to standard. Club’s Forward and Egypt international Hakim Ahmed in an interview with isports360 congratulated all clubs for making it to the competition. He further noted that their focus is to come and go home with the trophy after winning two years in succession. “We respect all teams and know we will have a tough opposition in Trustees and Sharkia but our aim is to go for gold… Sharkia beat us in Egypt during our National league and we will pay them back here in Ghana”, he said. With respect to organisation of the competition and reception in Ghana, Hakim praised the Local Organising committee. He said, ” We have been received well in Ghana and the people are very nice to us… aside the weather, we are okay with everything”, he said. Eastern Company Club of Egypt after years of playing in the competition made a mark in 2015 when they beat record title holders El Sharkia in the final. The club have since then won two gold medals in the competiton; 2015 and 2016 with a 3rd time in mind. With Sharkia and Kenya Police all tasting defeat in previous final to Eastern Company, who can stop the defending champions this year ? The 29th edition of the Africa Cup for Club Champions comes off this weekend in Accra, Ghana.