Hockey: Badgers thrash Greensharks at City Park
Euller Natombe (right) of Parkroad Badgers dribbles past Chris Ngatia of Greensharks during Kenya Hockey Union men National League match at City Park Stadium, Nairobi in January 7, 2023.
What you need to know:
- Badgers are still second from bottom with 10 points from 16 matches, four ahead of bottom-placed Mombasa Sports Club and six behind Sharks
- Badgers captain Arnold Abuchi acknowledged that the win came a little too late but was quick to add that it gives them confidence ahead of their two remaining matches against Western Jaguars and Police
- In the second half, Badgers came back a better side and their aggressiveness paid off when Murunga scored in the 32nd minute to put them in the lead
Parkroad Badgers defeated Greensharks 4-1 in a rescheduled Kenya Hockey Union men’s Premier League match played under floodlight at City Park Hockey Stadium in Nairobi on Saturday.
The win however did little to change their status in the battle to avoid drop to the second tier when the season comes to the end on January 29.
Badgers are still second from bottom with 10 points from 16 matches, four ahead of bottom-placed Mombasa Sports Club and six behind Sharks.
Badgers were initially scheduled to play former champions Kenya Police, but the law enforcers requested the union to shelve their matches since most of the players were away on official duties.
Police's match against Greensharks which was also scheduled to be played on Sunday has also been moved.
Police will now play Badgers on January 15 before they take on Sharks a week later.
Duncan Murunga scored a brace in 32nd and 54th minutes as Evanston Alulu and David Mwaura bagged one goal each in the 37th and 58th minutes respectively.
Samuel Namonyo scored a consolation goal for Sharks in the 34th minute.
Badgers captain Arnold Abuchi acknowledged that the win came a little too late but was quick to add that it gives them confidence ahead of their two remaining matches against Western Jaguars and Police.
“Of course our survival in the Premier League is hanging on a thread but we want to push to the end and see how it goes. Today we had a fantastic play and I wish we had such moments in our previous matches,” said Abuchi.
There was nothing to write home about in the first half as both teams were casual in their approach.
In the second half, Badgers came back a better side and their aggressiveness paid off when Murunga scored in the 32nd minute to put them in the lead.
But their lead was cut short as Namonyo equalised barely two minutes later.
Badgers would then take a 2-1 lead after Mwaura netted one back as a virtually disoriented Sharks crumbled.
Badgers in a span of five minutes bagged two goals through Murunga and Mwaura with Sharks losing the balls easily.
In the Super League men’s matches, Parkraod Tigers and Parkroad Sports Club played to a 2-2 all draw at the same venue.
Ryan Basil and Eric Odendo sounded the boards in the 10th and 30tu minutes through field goals for Tigers, while Gilbert Langat (54th) and Fredrick Puma (56th)scored for Parkroad.
Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) defeated Multimedia University 1-0. Terrence PKanden scored the sole goal in the 59th minute.
