Defending champions Telkom Orange are on the verge of winning a record fifth Africa Club Championships in a row.PHOTO/courtesy
NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan 12 – Telkom Orange are just two steps away from extending their continental dominance to a record nine titles after they stormed semi final of the ongoing Africa Hockey Cup for Club championship in Nairobi following their 4-0 win over compatriots Sliders in the last group match Thursday.
Jacqueline Wangechi scored a brace with Audrey Amaido and Maureen Okumu each hitting the bar once to extend Orange’s unbeaten record in the tournament to four matches.
Wangechi put Orange ahead when she hit the bar in the eighth minute to dent Sliders’ hopes of progressing to the knockout stage.
Okumu extended Orange’s lead just three minutes into the second half before Wangechi completed her brace in the 53rd minute. Omaido rounded Oranges route with six minutes to the buzzer with a clean field goal to take their tally to four.
The win put the 19-time Kenyan champions top of pool ‘A’ standings with 12 points ahead of KADA Queens of Nigeria who sneaked past the group stages with seven points in the same group.
The match between Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and Heartland came into sharp question after crowd shouted ‘match fixing’ after GRA defenders sat pretty to allow the Nigerians come from three goals down to play 3-3 draw.
The Ghanian players could be seen smiling after Hearland leveld the scores which locked their fiercest opponents, Ghana Police the opportunity to play in the semi.
Ghana police players who survived attempted robbery incident Wednesday night that left Kenyan international Linus Sang with a deep wound on the head after he sustained cut on the head from the resulting scuffle that ensued were looking for something to cheer them up but their hopes were dimmed in the final minute of the game when Heartland equalised.
The two teams had tied on second place with nine points.
Orange will now face the Police officers from Ghana with GRA taking on Kada Queens in the semis.
2015 Kenya Hockey Union (KHU) premier league champion Butali Sugar Warriors also reached their first semi finals since the club changed its name from Kisumu Simba.
Butali who missed the last two editions, qualified second in group B behind Ghana Police who had superior goal difference. Both teams had six points from street matches.
Kenya Police also made a resounding comeback into the games which they last took part in in 2013 in Uganda after booking their semis. They will meet either Butali or Ghana Police in the semi.
Shakia locked out Exchaquer when they sealed the semis slot in the men’s group B after beating Wheatherhead of Uganda 4-1.
Their semi final opponent was to be determined by the match between Police and Exchaquers that was to determine who tops the group. Women’s semi final matches will take place on Friday with men’s games set for Saturday.
Women semi final fixtures (Friday)
Orange (Kenya ) vs Heartland (Ghana)
Ghana Revenue Authorita (Ghana) vs KADA Queens (Nigeria)
