Telkom Orange chasing seventh continental crown in Zimbabwe
Margaret Rotich (right) of Telkom Orange vies for the ball with Strathmore University players in the women’s final of Vaisakhi hockey tournament at City Park Stadium on June 5, 2014. Orange will be chasing an unprecedented seventh crown and third in a row which will see them take the trophy for keeps on November 22, 2014. PHOTO | CHRIS OMOLLO |
What you need to know:
- Defending champions Telkom Orange will be chasing an unprecedented seventh crown and third in a row which will see them take the trophy for keeps.
- Jow scored the famous goal that saw Kenya beat Ghana to book their place in the second round of the 2016 Olympic qualifiers early this year in Nairobi.
Kenya’s representatives to the Hockey Africa Cup of Club Championships (ACCA), Telkom Orange and Strathmore Scorpions women teams have named their final squads ahead of the event that gets under way on Saturday in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe.
Defending champions Telkom Orange will be chasing an unprecedented seventh crown and third in a row which will see them take the trophy for keeps.
Orange coach Jos Openda has retained the squad that beat compatriots Strathmore in Kampala back in January to lift its sixth title.
Kenyan captain Bettsy Omalla will skipper the team in Bulawayo and also marshal the defence for the league champions.
“We had set a target of not conceding a goal during the last event but we ended up conceding one. We will work hard to achieve that feat,” Openda said.
Openda will parade an array of talent in attack led by veteran international Jacqueline Jow Wangeci who will be taken part in her seventh continental championship.
KENYA FORWARDS
Jow scored the famous goal that saw Kenya beat Ghana to book their place in the second round of the 2016 Olympic qualifiers early this year in Nairobi.
Also among the forwards are Lillian Aura, Margaret Rotich, Judy Apiyo and Hellen Chemtai. The squad of 18 players and three officials will jet out of the country this afternoon at 1pm.
Silver medalists Strathmore Scorpions, on the other hand, have three new faces from the team that lost 2-0 to Orange in January.
Gilly Okumu, the league’s current top scorer with 10 goals, will be eager to make her debut on the continental stage.
The former Sinyolo Girls captain’s goals have propelled the varsity side into this season’s play-offs and if she can carry her form to Bulawayo, Scorpions can go all the way.
NEW FACES
The other new faces in the team are Pauline Amutebi, who will join Okumu in attack, and defender Winnie Ingati.
The students have been in fine form scoring 30 goals in the league this season but coach Meshack Senge has warned his charges against underestimating their opponents.
“We have prepared well for this tournament and we will approach every game like a final,” Senge told Daily Nation Sport.
Strathmore, who left for Zimbabwe last night, are the top seeds in Pool B and will get their campaign underway against hosts Bulawayo Athletics Club (BAC) on Saturday.
Strathmore were the losing finalists in the last edition of the tournament in Kampala back in January.
