Hockey: Men's Premier League title race hots up
Sliders' Maia Cooney (right) dribbles the ball during their Kenya Hockey Union women's Premier League match against Wolverines at City park Stadium, Nairobi on May 14, 2022. The teams drew 0-0.
What you need to know:
- In the women’s Super League, Kenyatta University Titans, University of Nairobi (UON)and Jomo Kenyatta University of Agricultural and Technology (JKUAT) are in contention for promotion to the top tier at the completion of the season.
- Titans top with 13 points from five matches, while UON and JKUAT are joint second with eight points each from four matches each played.
It’s a dog-fight at the top in the men’s Kenya Hockey Union Premier League as the first leg nears the end.
Reigning champions and leaders Butali Sugar Warriors recorded a slim 1-0 win against United States International University of Africa (USIU-A) on Saturday courtesy of a goal from captain Constant Wakhura, while former champions Kenya Police squeezed a 2-1 win over Greensharks on Sunday at the City Park Stadium in Nairobi.
The results left Butali pegged top of the standings with 14 points from six matches, while Police are one point shy from the same number of matches.
Last year’s runners up Wazalendo defeated Parkroad Badgers 4-1 to dislodge Strathmore University Gladiators from third position. The students were not in action over the weekend.
Wazalendo have 12 points from five matches, while Gladiators were relegated are in fourth position with 10 points from the same number of matches.
Police coach Patrick Mugambi offered that the current standings makes the league more interesting and competitive.
“The pressure is on. Teams are trading careful so that they don’t lose sight on their rivals. Our objective is to reclaim the title we last won in 2017 and we are on course if the current form is anything to go by. We don’t want to be the first team to falter,” said Mugambi.
At the bottom end, Mombasa Sports Club are winless from five matches, with Western Jaguars second from bottom on four points from the same number of matches.
The women’s Premier League table remains unchanged as all the matches were shelved as most players are currently in residential training at the Moi International Sports Centre Kasarani ahead of the Commonwealth Games set for Birmingham, UK from July 28 to August 8.
Strathmore lead the standings unbeaten with 12 points from four matches, USIU-A Spartans and reigning champions Blazers are joint second with seven matches, but the students have a game in hand.
At the lower end, Sliders and Dutch Flower Group (DFG) Wolverines have two points each from five matches played.
In the men’s Super League, second-placed Sikh Union suffered their first loss of the season at the hands of Kenyatta University going down 2-1, but still remained second with 19 points from eight matches.
Leaders Kenya Accountancy College have 21 points from nine matches, while Wazalendo Masters are third with 14 points from nine matches.
Multimedia University and Parkroad Tigers occupy the last two positions with five and four points respectively from five and nine matches.
In the women’s Super League, Kenyatta University Titans, University of Nairobi (UON)and Jomo Kenyatta University of Agricultural and Technology (JKUAT) are in contention for promotion to the top tier at the completion of the season.
Titans top with 13 points from five matches, while UON and JKUAT are joint second with eight points each from four matches each played.
