Onyango at the double as champs Strathmore beat Sikh
What you need to know:
- Strathmore University Gladiators coach Meschak Senge has lauded his team’s good start to their Kenya Hockey Union men's Premier league title defence.
- The champions saw off 2012 champions Sikh Union Nairobi 2-0 in their opening match on Wednesday evening at the City Park Stadium, Nairobi.
- A brace from striker Festus Onyango gave the champions a perfect start in a vintage performance against a Sikh side that paid the price for woeful finishing
Strathmore University Gladiators coach Meschak Senge has lauded his team’s good start to their Kenya Hockey Union men's Premier league title defence. The champions saw off 2012 champions Sikh Union Nairobi 2-0 in their opening match on Wednesday evening at the City Park Stadium, Nairobi.
A brace from striker Festus Onyango gave the champions a perfect start in a vintage performance against a Sikh side that paid the price for woeful finishing. Onyango, who was the club’s top scorer last season, struck in the first half to lead the students to victory.
“I think it was a satisfactory performance from the lads, totally deserved but we should have won by a wider margin after creating numerous chances,” Senge told Nation Sport on Wednesday.
The tactician, who led the students to their third league title last year, has also warned his rivals that his team are up to the challenge of retaining their title despite losing two key players.
“This result shows that we mean business and are ready to battle the other teams to keep the title. It is a long season, teams are fired up to take us on but we are up the fight,” he added.
Senge, who is also the national men’s team coach, handed starts to three new players among them forward Job Jerry Ogaso, who starred for St Anthony’s Boys Kitale during the 2015 East African Secondary School Games.
After soaking some early pressure from Sikh, the students went ahead with their first chance of the match when Onyango dived to score from Clayson Luvanda’s hard pass from the halfway line.
Sikh looked shell-shocked at the goal and were hit by another sucker punch on the stroke of halftime as Onyango reacted quickly to blast the rebound home from close range after Captain Francis Kariuki’s clearance hit the post.
Sikh coach Inderjit Matharu rued his team’s missed chances but believes the team can bounce back.
“It would have been a different case had we taken our chances but that is the harsh reality, if you don’t score you don’t win,” the former legendary player said.
