Telkom cruise, USIU hammer Multimedia in hockey league

Champions Telkom on Saturday got their second leg campaign underway with a 6-0 rout of Vikings in a Kenya Hockey Union women's Premier League match at the City Park Stadium, Nairobi.

A brace each from Kenyan internationals Terry Juma and Audrey Omaido set the league leaders on the path to a comfortable win.

Maureen Okumu and Barbara Simiyu added the other goals as the 19-time champions maintained their 100 percent record and also kept another clean sheet.

Telkom assistant coach Josephine Ataro was left purring after the win and predicted a good season for her charges.

"This was the start we wanted and I think we are in pole position to retain the title. Our ball control and short corner conversion were impressive and we hope to keep the same form in the coming matches," Ataro said.

The win saw Telkom reclaim the top spot from USIU Spartans, who had briefly gone top after their 7-0 win over Multimedia University in the early match at the same venue.

OMAIDO STARS AGAIN

Telkom are on 33 points, two ahead of the Spartans. Omaido's brace saw her take her tally to 19 goals in the race for this season's golden stick.

Telkom, who won the reverse fixture 5-0, went ahead after only two minutes as Juma brilliantly finished off Omaido's short corner. Two minutes later, Omaido raced clear then exchanged passes with fellow striker Jackline Mwangi before beating Whitney Kiprop at her near post.

From then on it was all Telkom as Vikings did little to trouble the champions' defence.

Earlier, Spartans' forward Rhoda Kuira continued her impressive form after scoring four goals against Multimedia.

The Kenyan international scored a hat-trick during her team's 3-0 win over Kenyatta University’s Titans on Wednesday and followed up the impressive display with another match winning performance against the Rongai-based side.

TOP TWO HOPES ALIVE

Veronica Maua hit a brace with Sandra Vodoti also getting her name on the score sheet as the Spartans kept their dream of a top two finish alive.

Spartans captain Beatrice Mbugua called for more discipline as the hunt for the top two positions hots up.

"Multimedia played deep and we had to be patient in attack but once we unlocked them, we were able to get more bodies forward," Mbugua said.

"Our dream of playing in the Africa Club Championship is well on course and we are focused on ensuring we succeed."

Multimedia managed to keep the Spartans at bay for only 10 minutes before their defence was breached.

Mbugua won the ball in defence before feeding Kuira who squared to Maua to finish past Faith Morei in the Multimedia goal.

The second goal came three minutes into the third quarter, when Maua returned the favour after teeing up Kuira who lobbed the ball past Morei to give her side a 2-0 lead. The score remained the same until the fourth quarter when the floodgates opened.

WAZALENDO WIN

Kuira made it 3-0 in the 48th minute after finishing off Vodoti's short corner before adding two more in the 53rd and 56th minutes.

In the men's National League, Wazalendo Youth came from behind to beat Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology 2-1 at the same venue. Joseph Muia scored a brace for Wazalendo, cancelling out Kenneth Kimani's opener.