Stage set for Africa clubs tourney in Nairobi, says Randiek

    The week-long event slated for February 13-19 will be played at the City Park Stadium and the Dashmesh Hockey Stadium along Forest Road In Summary • 12 men’s teams have been placed in pools A and B while the same number of pools will accommodate the 10 teams in the women category. • The Kenyan pair of Butali Warriors and Kenya Police headline Group B. Kenya Hockey Union (KHU) chairman Nashon Randiek says they are on course for the annual African Cup for Club Championship in Nairobi despite a few challenges. The week-long event slated for February 13-19 will be played at the City Park Stadium and the Dashmesh Hockey Stadium along Forest Road, according to the fixtures released yesterday.  Kenya was picked to host the event after Malawi and South Africa pulled out due to personal reasons. “We accepted to host the event on short notice after a request from Africa Hockey. However, we haven’t approached the government for support since it wasn’t projected in our budget,” said Randiek. Twelve men’s teams have been placed in pools A’ and ‘B’ while the same number of pools will accommodate the 10 teams in the women’s category. Sharkia, Zamalek (Egypt); Ghana’s Exchequers and GRA and the Nigerian duo of Kada Stars and Police Machine, are in the men’s Group A. The Kenyan pair of Butali Warriors and Kenya Police headline Group B. They are joined by Weatherhead and Wananchi both from Uganda, Tanzania’s Moshi Khalsa, and Hippo from Zimbabwe.  Police will be seeking to go one step better after finishing second in 2016 when the competition was last held in Kenya. Captain Victor Wekesa observed: “We are going for nothing short of winning the title. The players are psyched up. We’ve put a turbulent season behind us after injuries affected our performance. Only Govan Mbeli is a major doubt because of the thigh injury otherwise we have a fully fit squad.” In the women’s category, Army Ladies and GRA highlight Pool ‘A’ alongside Delta Queens, Kada Queens and Sharkia. The trio of Strathmore Scorpions, Lakers, and Blazers will carry the Kenyan flag in Pool B. Uganda’s Deliverance Church and Wananchi complete the group of death. Fresh from winning the national women’s league title last month, expectations are high for Scorpions if captain Jeriah Onsare is to be believed.  “All eyes will be on us after the title triumph but I am hopeful we won’t disappoint. This is my first major assignment with Scorpions and I can’t wait to get started.” Wazalendo were the only team to grace the occasion last year.   Source: the-star.co.ke | February 10, 2023  

    Hockey: Butali Sugar lie in wait for Africa Club Championship

      January 13, 2023 Butali Sugar Warriors is a team on a mission. For the last four years, they have been the team to beat in the Kenya Hockey Union (KHU) Premier League. After conquering the local scene, which they have made their own, the team has turned their focus to the 2023 Africa Cup for Clubs Championship. To them, success at the international scene in next on their agenda. And the Kenyan side will under more pressure this time round, for obvious reasons. Kenya will host the annual continental hockey club event set for February 13-19 at the Kenton College in Kileleshwa after the Africa Hockey Federation (AfHF) gave the country the rights to host the event. With that, the Kenyan champions will want to maintain their top shape, only that this time, it will be against other continental giants. The first two teams at the completion of the men’s and women’s Premier Leagues book automatic tickets to the Africa Clubs championship. Most Kenya clubs have in recent times failed to compete in the event hosted in other African cities, owing to financial challenges. Wazalendo men’s club was the last local side to feature in the competition last year in Ghana. Kenya last staged the event in 2016 at the City Park Stadium where Kenya Police finished second after losing 3-2 in the final to Eastern Company from Egypt. Butali Sugar Warriors, who will represent Kenya at this year’s event alongside women’s champions Strathmore University Scorpions, are planning to go for the title this time round. The sugar men were crowned local league champions with a game to spare after humbling Sailors Hockey Club 4-1 last Sunday but captain Constant Wakhura believes their job is not yet done as they seek African glory. Wakhura, who has successfully led his team to 17 matches on an unbeaten record since the start of the season, said they have already started preparations despite remaining with one match until the end of the 2022 season. “It has been a wonderful season for us. We have not lost a match in our campaign and it will be important if we maintain the same momentum ahead of the African games next month,” said Wakhura. “We are already in the mood for the continental games. We are working on some of our mistakes we have noticed in the league and I trust come February 13, we will be ready.” Butali will be relying on league top scorer Festus Onyango to inspire them to glory in the Africa Club games after scoring his 16th goal of the season. Meanwhile, KHU Secretary General Wickliffe Ongori has said the number of Kenyan clubs set to participate in the championship might increase, if the African Hockey Federation approves the proposal. Lakers Hockey Club from Kisumu and former champions Blazers are also in contention to represent the nation in the women’s category. Source: The Standard (www.standardmedia.co.ke)

      ACCC 2021 (MEN 32nd Edition – WOMEN 23rd Edition) – Match Schedule – Day 7

        GOLD MEDAL MATCH – MEN TEAM   SCORES GENDER TEAM   SCORE Zamalek (EGY) 2 MEN Tairat (EGY) 7 GOLD MEDAL MATCH – WOMEN Ghana Revenue Authority (GHA) 3 WOMEN Delta Queens (NGR) 0 BRONZE MEDAL MATCH – WOMEN Plateau Queens (NGR) 3 WOMEN Ghana Prisons (GHA) 4 BRONZE MEDAL MATCH – MEN KADA Stars (NIG) 2 MEN Eastern Company (EGY) 1 WATCH REPLAY Zamalek (EGY) vs Tairat (EGY) –  [Click for Video] – Source: N2K TV Ghana Revenue Authority (GHA) vs  Delta Queens (NGR) –  [Click for Video] – Source: N2K TV Plateau Queens (NGR) vs Ghana Prisons (GHA) –  [Click for Video] – Source: N2K TV Kada Stars (NGR) vs Eastern Company (EGY) –  [Click for Video] – Source: N2K TV DAY 7 IN PICTURES

        ACCC 2021 (MEN 32nd Edition – WOMEN 23rd Edition) – Match Schedule – Day 5

          Match Schedule TEAM   SCORES GENDER TEAM   SCORE Ghana Police Service (GHA) 1 WOMEN Plateau Queens (NGR) 1 Ghana Revenue Authority (GHA) 6 WOMEN Ghana Prisons (GHA) 3 Kada Stars (NGR) 3 MEN Ghana Police Service (GHA) 0 Ghana Army (GHA) 0 MEN Eastern Company (EGY) 4 WATCH REPLAY Ghana Police Service (GHA) vs Plateau Queens (NGR) –  [Click for Video] – Source: N2K TV Ghana Revenue Authority (GHA) vs  Ghana Prisons (GHA) –  [Click for Video] – Source: N2K TV Kada Stars (NGR) vs Ghana Police Service (GHA) –  [Click for Video] – Source: N2K TV Ghana Army (GHA) vs Eastern Company (EGY) –  [Click for Video] – Source: N2K TV DAY 5 IN PICTURES

          ACCC 2021 (MEN 32nd Edition – WOMEN 23rd Edition) – Match Schedule – Day 4

            Match Schedule TEAM   SCORES GENDER TEAM   SCORE Tairat (EGY) 4 MEN Wazalendo (KEN) 2 Ghana Prisons (GHA) 0 WOMEN Plateau Queens (NGR) 0 Ghana Revenue Authority (GHA) 4 WOMEN Delta Queens (NGR) 1 Zamalek (EGY) 1 MEN Ghana Revenue Authority (GHA) 0 Eastern Company (EGY) 1 MEN Kada Stars (NGR) 2 Police Machine (NGR) 3 MEN Ghana Police Service (GHA) 1 WATCH REPLAY Tairat (EGY) vs Wazalendo (KEN) –  [Click for Video] – Source: N2K TV Ghana Prisons (GHA) vs Plateau Queens (NGR) –  [Click for Video] – Source: N2K TV Ghana Revenue Authority (GHA) vs Delta Queens (NGR) (Women) –  [Click for Video] – Source: N2K TV Zamalek (EGY) vs Ghana Revenue Authority (GHA) –  [Click for Video] – Source: N2K TV Eastern Company (EGY) vs Kada Stars (NGR) –  [Click for Video] – Source: N2K TV Police Machine (NGR) vs Ghana Police Service (GHA) –  [Click for Video] – Source: N2K TV   DAY 4 IN PICTURES