USIU Spartans down UoN, Butali drop points in hockey league

Mercy Oyugi of University of Nairobi (left) tackles USIU Spartans' Phanice Atieko during their Kenya Hockey Union women's Premier League match at City Park Stadium on July 23, 2017. PHOTO | MARTIN MUKANGU |

What you need to know:

  • United States International University of Africa (USIU-A) Spartans on Sunday reclaimed second spot in the Kenya Hockey Union women’s Premier League after a 6-0 win over University of Nairobi (UoN) in a league match at the City Park Stadium, Nairobi.
  • In another women's top flight encounter, Amira Sailors saw off Sliders 3-1 at the same venue.
  • Butali Sugar Warriors lost further ground on league leaders Kenya Police after they were held to a 1-1 draw by Parklands in the last game of the day.

United States International University of Africa (USIU-A) Spartans on Sunday reclaimed second spot in the Kenya Hockey Union women’s Premier League after a 6-0 win over University of Nairobi (UoN) in a league match at the City Park Stadium, Nairobi.

A brace each from Kenya international Rhoda Kuira and Sheila Nnazi inspired the students to the comfortable win in their final first leg match this season. Others on target in the lopsided encounter were Acriphyna Mosoi and skipper Beatrice Mbugua.

The win took the Thika-Road-based side to 25 points, five behind leaders Telkom, who beat Kenyatta University (KU) Titans 9-0 on Saturday at the same venue.

Agie Maina of University of Nairobi (left) vies for the ball with Sasha Masinde of USIU during their Kenya Hockey Union women's Premier League match at City Park Stadium on July 23, 2017. PHOTO | MARTIN MUKANGU |

Spartans coach Willis Ochieng noted that his charges should have won by a bigger margin, calling for more improvement in the second leg.

“We have a very good squad and the performance today was satisfactory, we have completed the first leg on top and the aim to maintain the same consistency in the second leg,” Ochieng told Nation Sport on Sunday.

UoN, who lost 1-0 to Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture Technology on Saturday, remain bottom with a point and are yet to win a match after 10 games on their debut season. UoN started the match with nine players and Spartans took full advantage of their numerical strength to go two goals up in the opening nine minutes.

GREAT MOVE

Captain Mbugua started a great move from the back and the Spartans penetrated their opponents circle with ease and Misoi had the simplest finishes, flicking the ball past UoN goalkeeper Regina Kiminya after only six minutes.

Two minutes later it was two as Spartans once again attacked and with UoN defence napping, Nnazi fired past Kiminya.  The quarter ended with UoN finally managing to field 11 players on the pitch.

They kept their opponents at bay until the 25th minute when Mbugua weaved her way into the UoN defence before unleashing an unstoppable shot into the bottom corner.

UON looked disjointed in attack and the Spartans defence had an off day, joining in the attack to help their team’s hunt for more goals. Spartans threatened with a couple of short corners but failed to add to their tally due to poor finishing.

Nnazi added her second of the game just before the end of the third quarter latching on to a poor clearance from Kiminya to sound the boards. The final quarter yielded two more goals for Spartans to complete a good outing.

In another women's top flight encounter, Amira Sailors saw off Sliders 3-1 at the same venue. Sailors were three up by 44 minutes courtesy of goals from Leah Omwadho, Yvette Kanyandong and Pauline Naise. Sliders pulled one back through Charity Miller in the 48th minute of the tie.

Amira Sailors' Lorraine Nondi in action against Sliders during their Kenya Hockey Union women's Premier League match at City Park Stadium on July 23, 2017. PHOTO | MARTIN MUKANGU |

In the men's Premier League, Butali Sugar Warriors lost further ground on league leaders Kenya Police after they were held to a 1-1 draw by Parklands in the last game of the day.

Parklands took a shock lead in the seventh minute through talismanic striker Allan Odongo's field goal, before the visitors levelled through Maxwell Fuachaka in the 18th minute of play.

Boniface Ndombi of Parklands vies for the ball with Butali Sugar Warrior's' Barnabus Odhiambo during their Kenya Hockey Union men's Premier League match on July 23, 2017. PHOTO | MARTIN MUKANGU |

In Kakamega, former Champions Nairobi Sikh Union held hosts Western Jaguars to a goalless draw in a fiercely-contested men’s Premier League match at Kakamega High School grounds.

The match started on a high note, with strikers from both sides engaging defenders in relentless raids in a bid to snatch the opener.

Sikh Union, which featured two national team players in Allan Iningu and Francis Esikuri, could have sounded the boards five minutes into the match but Haggai Pepela’s flick in the box went wide.

A counter attack by Jaguars saw their top scorer Willis Malesi, who has seven goals to his name so far ih the league, waste a golden scoring opportunity in the 12th minute when his shot inside “D area” was deflected by custodian Ajay Dosa.

Unlike the Nairobi side, which used the midfield frequently to build up their game, Jaguars preferred to use the flanks.

In the second tier men's league, Mvita hit five past Daystar University, as Dedan Kimathi University beat JKUAT 2-0 at City Park.