Wazalendo rout hapless Strathmore in hockey league

Kenya Hockey Union men's Premier League champions Strathmore University Gladiators' poor start to the season continued with another dismal performance on Saturday after they were thrashed 5-2 by Wazalendo at City Park Stadium.

It was Gladiators' third loss of the season, and the champions have only chalked up one win in their last eight games, a pale shadow of the team that defied all odds to clinch their third title last year.

The result left the champions in eighth place with eight points, a massive 19 points behind leaders Kenya Police, whom they face Sunday afternoon at the same venue.

Gladiators were 5-0 down after 32 minutes as Wazalendo tore into their hapless defence in impressive fashion. Elly Mwanzi scored a brace while Stanley Chege, Peter Mulati and Davies Mulongo put their names on the score sheet in the period where Wazalendo put in a swashbuckling display.

Cornelius Mambili and Festus Onyango scored consolation goals for the champions but it was too late to prevent the loss. The defeat leaves Strathmore with a mountain to climb as they bid to defend their title.

A jaded Strathmore coach Meshack Senge was at pains to explain his team's heavy loss after the match.

"It was a lethargic performance from us today. We were poor in all departments and totally deserved to lose," Senge told Sunday Nation Sport.

"I could blame it on the new players in the team but the bottom line is we are not showing championship winning form and that worries me," Senge added.

For Wazalendo, the win consolidated their fourth place in the table.

Wazalendo coach Fidhelis Kimanzi was full of praise for his team after the emphatic win.

"We scored early goals and that allowed us to settle and control the match. We did not give them room to settle and I am pleased with the three points," he said.

GOOD OUTING

Wazalendo will be looking to complete a good outing this weekend when they face United States International University of Africa(USIU-A) on Sunday.

Strathmore, who drew 0-0 with USIU in their last match, fell behind in the fifth minute as Chege sounded the board after a Davies Mulongo penalty corner. The students were struggling to settle in the match with Wazalendo controlling proceedings.

Wazalendo doubled their lead at the start of the second quarter after a well worked move stretched the Strathmore defence and Mulati was at hand to fire the ball past the on-rushing Peter Okinda.

Three minutes later, Strathmore's defensive lapses were further exposed as Mulongo capitalised on Okinda's indecision to fire into an empty net.

The score line sent Senge livid on the touch line and he replaced Paul Omoriba with Francis Kariuki. However, it got worse as Wazalendo continued to dominate adding two more goals by the half hour mark through Mwanzi's well taken shots.

Strathmore were poor in attack, struggling to create any chances with their opponents cruising. Wazalendo keeper Bright Kezengwa had little to do with the match approaching its climax. Strathmore did conjure up two chances in the last five minutes and pulled two goals back to give the score a respectable look.

Earlier, Parkroad Badgers beat Technical University of Kenya 2-0 in another men's top flight encounter. Andrew Kamau and Ian Langat scored for the Badgers to leave the students still searching for the first win of the season. On Friday evening, USIU beat Parklands 1-0.

SUMMARISED RESULTS

Strathmore University 2-5 Wazalendo

Technical University of Kenya 0- 2 Parkroad Badgers

Mombasa Sports Club 1-1 University of Nairobi