Felix Mochama of KCA University (left) vies for the ball with Kennedy Siblieche (right) of Kenya Police during their Kenya Hockey Union Premier league match at City Park Hockey Stadium on October 9, 2016. PHOTO | MARTIN MUKANGU | NATION MEDIA GROUP

Strathmore Gladiators secure final playoff slot

The play-offs lineup for this season’s Kenya Hockey Union men’s Premier League has been confirmed after the final two slots were clinched at the weekend. Two-time champions Strathmore University Gladiators confirmed their place on Sunday evening after a hard fought 1-0 win away to bottom-placed Bay Club at the Kisumu Sports Club. Steve Nyabuto scored the only goal of the game to propel his team to the knockout stage. The win coupled with USIU’s 3-2 to loss to Kenyatta University (KU) Vultures means the Gladiators will finish second in Pool A, behind champions and leaders Butali Sugar Warriors. In the play-offs set for next month, Butali will take on Pool B runners up Greensharks while 2013 champions Kenya Police will be up against Strathmore. The winners will contest in the final to determine the winner of the 2016 men’s premier league season. Strathmore coach Meshack Senge was delighted with result praising his charges for their fighting spirit which he said will be essential in the play-offs. “We have achieved our first target of the season and that was to make it to the playoffs. Our second target is to ensure we qualify for the club championship and we are working towards this,” Senge told Daily Nation Sport Monday. He however said it was too early to start thinking about next month’s clash with Police but is relishing the encounter.  “We still have a our final match against KU (Vultures) to think about but every match we play now is a build up to the Police encounter,” he added. The win against Bay Club moved Senge’s side to 13 points, five behind Butali with one match to play. Nakuru jumped to third place after their emphatic 1-0 win over Sikh Union Nairobi.  The Rift Valley side are on nine points, one ahead of USIU who dropped to fourth while Sikh complete the top five. In Pool B, Police pipped Greensharks to clinch top spot after hitting them 2-0 on Saturday evening. Both teams finished their preliminary matches with 13 points but Police are perched at the top due to a superior goal difference. In the women’s Premier League, champions Telkom Orange opened a five point lead at the top after a remarkable weekend. Orange scored 28 goals from two matches to move to 16 points with two matches remaining. Four points from those two matches will see them retain the title. Strathmore Scorpions are placed second with 11 points and have three matches left while newcomers Amira Sailors are third, a point back. USIU Spartans and Sliders complete the top five places with 10 and nine points respectively.

Double Qualification For Ghana Hockey In The Hockey World League Series

The National Male and Female Hockey Teams of Ghana on Sunday 11th September 2016 both booked tickets to the 2nd Round of the Hockey World League Series. The Female team played Kenya in the morning of the Sunday the 9th, and needed a win to qualify, having beating Nigeria earlier in the tournament by 2 goals to nothing. As Kenya is ranked directly behind Ghana, it was sure to be a tough one, and indeed did not disappoint. The Ghanaian ladies started threatening the goal of their Kenyan counterparts early in the game and came very close on numerous occasions to scoring. The game however stayed barren for the most part, creating a very charged and restless atmosphere in the Theodosia Okoh Hockey Stadium. The ladies finally put everybody to rest when Richel Bamfo received a ball and tore past the goalkeeper and an incoming defender to guide the ball into the post in the dying minutes of the game. The ladies had one task after this; to hold on to the lead and that they did to the admiration and excitement of all. With this result, the National Women’s team secured the single slot available to the 2nd round to take place in Spain in February of 2017. In the Men’s game which was the last of the day and for the tournament, Ghana only had to manage a draw to secure their place in the 2nd round as they had beaten Namibia 7 – 1 and their arch rivals Kenya by a lone goal earlier in the tournament. This task that looked very doable in the beginning considering Ghana’s play throughout the tournament, would soon be put in doubt as Nigeria drew first blood about halfway through the first half. It was not until the dying minutes of the game that the Ghanaian team equalized through Emmanuel Ankomah (One Finger). Even though this gave the many Ghanaian supporters some kind of comfort, it was not until Shadrack Baah connected a brilliant pass from Michael Baiden, the Ghanaian International based in South Africa to secure the win, did the fans really breath a sigh of relief. Managing to secure this result meant that the male team would join their female counterparts who had qualified earlier in the day, in the 2nd round of the World League Series to take place in Bangladesh in February. We are so proud of our men and women and wish them the best in their preparations towards to the 2nd round of the competition. Signed: Daniel Kenaz Mensah Sec. Gen.