Orange will meet the winner between Ghana Revenue Authority and Kada Queens of Nigeria in the Sunday final. PHOTO/courtesy
NAIROBI, Jan 13 – Jackline Jow’s hat trick and Lilian Aura’s brace eased Telkom Orange to the finals of the ongoing Africa Hockey Club Cup following their 7-0 semi final win over Heartlands of Nigeria at the City Park Hockey stadium in Nairobi on Friday.
Orange will meet the winner between Ghana Revenue Authority and Kada Queens of Nigeria in the Sunday final.
The 19 time Kenyan champions are in course for a record ninth continental title and a win on Sunday will see them extend their dominance in Africa to five consecutive years with Jos Openda as the coach.
“We are ready for whoever will qualify in the other match. We want to win our fifth title in a row and start thinking about a sixth,” a confident Openda said in a post match interview.
Orange have only conceded two goals in this championship, one less than the three they conceded last year and Openda has urged her girls to lock their defence in the final match.
“I don’t expect my defence to concede more goals going forward,” added the tactician.
Hat trick girl, Jow gave Orange the lead in the 20th minute after former captain Betsy Omalla blew away a chance to open the scores from the spot with her effort missing the target by a few inches.
Irene Ofula also fired blank just a minute after Omalla’s unfortunate miss but goal poacher Jow wasted no chance when she tapped the ball in the empty goal with Heartlands goalkeeper Saguti Sophia well beaten.
Audrey Omaido doubled Orange’s lead just two minutes later. She then paved the way for Jow to score her second and third Orange’s third with 10 minutes to the break.
Jow was at it again just two minutes after resumption when she shook the net in the 37th minute to take the game beyond reach for a hapless Heartland. Jow, a certified football coach from American University was again involved in the fifth goal after she set up Omalla who tapped in for a fifth goal in the 45th minute to rectify her previous mistake.
Former Strathmore University midfielder Aura bagged her brace within five minutes to complete Orange’s route in the 64th and 69th minutes for a sixth and seventh goals.
Another Kenyan side, Sliders finished seventh after beating Wanainchi of Uganda 3-0 in the seventh and eighth placement match. Der Ladies (Tanzania) beat Weatherhead of Uganda by a solitary goal to finish ninth.
The last placement match (5th and 6th) between Shakia (Egypt) and Ghana Police is set for Saturday.
Men’s semi final is set for Saturday with Kenya Police squaring it out with Ghana Police while Butali Sugar Warrior will take on Eastern of Egypt.
