Hockey: Sailors sink Western Jaguars in league opener
Wazalendo Masters defender Joseph Ndegwa (left) drives the ball past Parkroad Tigers' Fredrick Ouma during their Kenya Hockey Union League match at City Park Stadium, Nairobi on April 2, 2022.
What you need to know:
- Jaguars will on Sunday play their second match against 2017 champions Kenya Police in another tricky fixture.
- Douglas Nyerere (18), Felix Opola (20) and Titus Ngolia (38) scored for Sailors in a fast paced match.
Western Jaguars suffered a shock 3-0 loss to Sailors in their opening match of the men’s Kenya Hockey Union Premier League match played under floodlights at the City Park Stadium in Nairobi on Saturday.
Jaguars will on Sunday play their second match against 2017 champions Kenya Police in another tricky fixture.
Douglas Nyerere (18), Felix Opola (20) and Titus Ngolia (38) scored for Sailors in a fast paced match.
Jaguars coach Michael Malungu was disappointed saying the team didn’t turn up.
“I hope the team recovers ahead of the match against Police. The first match of the season is always tricky but we hope to adjust and pick up ourselves and perform well going forward. We were casual and were punished for that,” said Malungu.
Saliors coach Timothy Kamar said they have struggled to get a place to train and the result was timely.
“The game was fairly good and I’m excited that we have collected the three points. We hope to build on this as the league gathers momentum,”said Kamar.
It was a balanced affair in the first quarter but it was the visitors who lacked urgency and missed an open scoring chance in the dying minutes of the quarter as Willis Malesi shot wide with only Sailors goalkeeper Edwin Mwangi to beat.
After a short break, Sailors returned a composed side making good runs before they powered through their opponents defense to score in the 18th minute through Nyerere.
Although Jaguars had brilliant build ups in the second quarter, they were poor on delivery before they were punished when Opola added a second goal in the 20th minute.
Sailors picked from where they left after the break, scoring another goal in the 38th minute with Ngolia sounding the boards as things fell apart for Jaguars.
In the earlier matches played at the same venue in the men’s KHU Super League, Mvita XI came from behind to hold Nakuru to a 1-1 draw.
Dolcan Mugaisi scored a fantastic field goal in the 32nd minute before captain Ismail Abdulahi equalised in the 58th minute through a field goal.
Wazalendo Masters got the better off Parkroad Tigers 2-1 in another Super League match.
Erick Ochieng (7th) and Gideon Kimoge (26th) scored in the first half as Langat Langata pulled one back for Tigers in the 58th minute through a penalty corner.
