Butali Sugar Warriors stock up for opponents
What you need to know:
- Former champions Butali Sugar Warriors sent a strong message on their intentions to reclaim the Kenya Hockey Union (KHU) men’s Premier League at the weekend with an 8-0 hiding of Western Jaguars.
- The Kisumu-based side hammered Western Jaguars 8-0 in the opening encounter at the City Park Stadium on Sunday in what was a winning start for new coach Godfrey Wakachunga.
- Wakachunga replaced former coach Cliffe Okello, who died on January 24 this year. And Wakachunga has already sounded a warning shot to his title rivals of his team’s intention to wrestle back the gong.
Former champions Butali Sugar Warriors sent a strong message on their intentions to reclaim the Kenya Hockey Union (KHU) men’s Premier League at the weekend with an 8-0 hiding of Western Jaguars.
The Kisumu-based side hammered Western Jaguars 8-0 in the opening encounter at the City Park Stadium on Sunday in what was a winning start for new coach Godfrey Wakachunga.
Wakachunga replaced former coach Cliffe Okello, who died on January 24 this year. And Wakachunga has already sounded a warning shot to his title rivals of his team’s intention to wrestle back the gong.
“That is the perfect start any coach would want from his team and we are yet to hit top gear yet. Teams should be very afraid to face us,” a confident Wakachunga said. A brace each from Emmanuel Simuyu and Vincent Odhiambo set Butali on course for an emphatic result.
It was paramount for Butali to get off to a winning start with champions Strathmore University Gladiators and title rivals Kenya Police all recording winning starts last weekend.
Butali’s big scoreline took them to second on the league standing on three points, a point behind leaders United States International University of Africa (UISU-A), who came from behind to beat Nakuru 2-1 at the same venue.
Wakachunga further added that the team is determined to win back the title in honour of Okello.
“Cliffe had a very successfully spell with the team and it is only fair to honour him by winning more titles just as he had wanted most,” he added.
Butali have a three week break, with their next assignment on April 15 against USIU-A. While Butali flourished at the weekend, newcomers Technical University of Kenya found the going tough in the top-flight.
The students suffered their second successive loss of the season after they went down 4-1 to Nakuru to find themselves bottom of the log after only two rounds.
Despite so much promise, the league debutantes are clearly struggling in the top-flight and have already been tipped to return to the second-tier league at the end of this season.
However, TUK coach Simiyu Nyaranga believes his team just needs time to adapt to life in the Premier League.
“We played really well in our first two games and lost due to minor details. It is along season and I think we will turn things around,” Nyaranga said.
