Hockey: Police face tricky fixtures in pursuit of leaders Butali

The race for the men's Kenya Hockey Union (KHU) Premier League title continues this weekend with top teams in action.

Only three points separate the top five teams in the men's league.

Leaders and reigning champions Butali Sugar Warriors, who have 14 points from six matches, travel to Mombasa to play win-less Mombasa Sports Club (MSC) on Sunday.

Kenya Police are second on 13 points from the same number of matches and will take on Parkroad Badgers on Saturday at City Park Stadium in Nairobi before they face-off with fifth-placed Strathmore University Gladiators with 10 points on Sunday at the same venue.

Third-placed Wazalendo, who have 12 points with a game in hand, will entertain MSC away on Saturday.

Sailors, who are not in action, have 11 points from six matches and occupy fourth position.

MSC remain winless from five matches and have four ties before the end of first leg early next month.

But the team’s captain Mariano Emadali said it's too early to call.

“We have been losing our matches by one-goal margins in four of the matches we've lost, this shows very fine margins and that's what the Premier League is all about," said Emadali.

"The learning curve is steep, but its too early to place us in the relegation dog fight, we do note that we have a lot at stake before the first leg ends and so we will take one game at a time."

After weekend matches, the coastal side will play Western Jaguars and United States International University of Africa (USIU-A) in the remaining fixtures.

The women's KHU Premier League matches remain on hold as players drawn from the tier are currently with the national team in residential training at the Moi International Sports Centre Kasarani ahead of Commonwealth Games set for Birmingham, England from July 28 to August 8.

On Saturday, in the men's KHU Super League, Sikh Union have a chance to dislodge Kenya College of Accountancy (KCA) from the top of the standings when they play Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) at their backyard.

Sikh have 19 points from eight matches while leaders KCA have 21 points from nine matches but they will be inactive this weekend.

Mvita XI will welcome Multimedia University (MMU) in Mombasa, while Kenyatta University (KU) play host to Kisumu Youngster as Parklands Sports Club battle Nakuru at City Park.

In the only women's KHU Super League, MSC play MMU in Mombasa.

In the men's National League, Bungoma Farmers cross swords with Kisii Falcons in Bungoma while Nandi Hawks travel to Kapsabet to tackle Blue Pirates as Daystar University square it out with Mombasa West away.

Fixtures

Saturday

PSC v Nakuru (12pm, City Park)

MSC v MMU (1pm, Mombasa)

Bungoma Farmers v Kisii Falcons (1pm, Bungoma)

Nandi Hawks v Blue Pirates (2pm, Kapsabet)

Sikh Union v JKUAT (4pm, Sikh Union)

Mombasa West v Daystar(1pm, Mombasa)

MSC v Wazalendo (3pm, Mombasa)

Mvita XI v MMU (3pm, Mombasa)

Badgers v Police (4pm, City Park)

KU v Kisumu Youngster(6pm, City Park)

Sunday

Karate Axiom v Gorrilla (10am, Strathmore)

Dakyo Heroes v MMU (10am, Mombasa)

Mvita v Wazalendo Masters(10am, Mombasa)

MSC v Butali(10am, Mombasa)

Police v Strathmore (3pm, City Park)

USIUA v Badgers (5pm, City Park)