Hockey: Sharkia beat Kenya Police in nine-goal thriller
Sharkia captain Ghobran Hossam celebrates his goal against Kenya Police during their Africa Cup for Club Champions match at Sikh Union, Nairobi on February 15, 2023.
What you need to know:
- Sharkia captain Ghobran Hossam scored a brace in the 13th and 18th minutes as Elganaina Abdlrahmab (2nd), Zenhom Abdlrahman (13th) and Zaki Mohamed (43rd) also sounded the boards.
- The law enforcers, who scored through Mathew Kipchirchir (38th), Moses Cheplaiti (56th), Danstone Wabwire (58th) and Willis Okeyo (60th) are third with six points from three matches.
Three goals in the last five minutes were not enough to help Kenya Police as they lost 5-4 to Egyptian side Sharkia on Day Three of the Africa Cup for Club Champions at Sikh Union, Nairobi on Wednesday.
The win left Sharkia second in group “B” unbeaten with nine points from three matches, while Police Machine of Nigeria lead the table with nine points from the same number of matches, but with a superior goal difference.
Police Machine had defeated Hippos of Zimbabwe 4-2 in the earlier match at the same venue.
Kenya Police's Danstone Wabwire (right) dribbles past Sharkia's Elgendy Ahmed during their Africa Cup for Club Champions match at Sikh Union, Nairobi on February 15, 2023.
Sharkia captain Ghobran Hossam scored a brace in the 13th and 18th minutes as Elganaina Abdlrahmab (2nd), Zenhom Abdlrahman (13th) and Zaki Mohamed (43rd) also sounded the boards.
The law enforcers, who scored through Mathew Kipchirchir (38th), Moses Cheplaiti (56th), Danstone Wabwire (58th) and Willis Okeyo (60th) are third with six points from three matches.
Police were outrun in the first quarter as Abdlrahman scored two minutes into play.
Sharkia continued with their co-ordinated play as Police looked out of place and the visitors made it two in the 13th minute through Hossam.
Police regrouped in the second quarter and should have pulled one back, but Kipchirchir's shot from Wabwire's cross was thwarted by Sharkia goalkeeper Abdel Mostafa.
Kenya Police's James Mwangi (left) vies for the ball with Sharkia's Amiad Khan during their Africa Cup for Club Champions match at Sikh Union, Nairobi on February 15, 2023.
Hossam returned to haunt Police as he scored in 18th minute to give his side a 3-0 lead at half time.
Sharkia did not relent after the break and goals from Abdlrahman and Mohamed seemed to have put the match beyond Police, who pulled one back through Kipchirchir in the third quarter.
Police regrouped in the fourth quarter to score three goals in a span of five minutes, but it was not enough to stop the former champions.
Police captain Victor Wekesa bemoaned the development and said the results would have been different had they managed the game from the first whistle.
“We got off to a poor start and we were punished. By the time we got our act together, it was too late. We didn’t recover in time. We are disappointed, but we just have to keep pushing,” said Wekesa.
We are on course to qualify for the final but we need to win the remaining matches. They are good teams from this region as well as from West Africa and I’m happy we got the chance to play them. This is a good exposure for us," said Sharkia captain Hossam.
The men’s event is grouped in two pools and the winners in each group at the end of preliminary matches will play in the final on Sunday.
