Champs Butali Sugar Warriors battle Sikh Union at City Park

Champions Butali Sugar Warriors will be aiming to extend their unbeaten start to the season when they face Sikh Union Nairobi Saturday evening in a Kenya Hockey Union Men’s Premier League match at City Park Stadium.

Ten matches are set to be played this weekend with two of them in Kisumu as the league enters its fourth round.

Kisumu-based Bay Club will host United States International University of Africa (USIU-A) Saturday afternoon before they welcome Kenyatta University’s Vultures on Sunday.

In the women’s premier league, two university derbies will take centre stage as KU Titans tackle Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) in Saturday’s first match while Strathmore University’s Scorpions face USIU Spartans on Sunday.

However, focus will be on the clash between Butali and the 2012 champions Sikh. Butali have won their opening two matches and lead Pool A with six points, three more than third-placed Sikh Union.

Butali will again be without the injured duo of Seth Oburu and Barnabas Odhiambo but Coach Cliffe Okello believes he has enough depth in his squad.

“Their absence is a blow because they are two key players but we are coping well, our target is to ensure we don’t drop any points as we build up for the African Club Championship in December,” Okello told Saturday Nation Sport.

Sikh recovered from losing their opening game of the season to Strathmore University’s Gladiators by thrashing newly promoted Bay Club 10-0 last Saturday at City Park Stadium.

Sikh skipper Amit Rajput wants his teammates to come with the same form when they take on Butali.

“Last weekend’s result against Bay Club was a major lift after the disappointing result against Strathmore. The lads are fired up and Butali should expect a tough match,” he said on Friday.

Butali have won the club’s last three meetings including a 6-0 thrashing last season.

JKUAT will be looking to bounce back from last weekend’s 7-0 loss to Sliders against a Titans side that lost most of its players to the newcomers Amira Sailors. A win for the Juja-based side will see them move joint top with Sliders.

“We have learnt from the mistakes we made against Sliders and want to make amends against Titans tomorrow (today),” JKUAT coach Daniel Owaka said.

Titans on the other hand are looking for their first win of the season after one loss and a draw in their previous matches.

Titans coach Dominic Mutwol believes his depleted squad can still finish high up in the league this season.

FIXTURES (All Matches at the City Park Stadium unless stated)

Saturday:

Premier women: KU Titans v JKUAT (12pm)

National men: Impala v JKUAT (2PM), Wazalendo Youth v Kimathi (4pm)

Premier men: Bay Club v USIU- Kisumu (3pm), Sikh Union v Butali (6pm)

Sunday:

Premier women: Vikings v Daystar Falcons (9am), Strathmore University v USIU (11am)

National men: Daystar v Parkroad Tigers (1pm)

Premier men: Bay Club v USIU-  Kisumu (9am), Strathmore University v Parklands (3pm)