Champs Butali go top of the league
What you need to know:
- Francis Kariuki and George Mutira scored a brace each to spur Butali Sugar to a comprehensive victory.
- Moses Ademba, Constance Wakhura and Calvins Kanu also nailed the ball past Boniface Muna in the Gladiators goal to hand Butali their third consecutive win.
Champions Butali Sugar Warriors head coach Dennis Owoka warned his rivals to watch out after his team demolished Strathmore Gladiators 7-0 on Sunday to waltz to the top of the men’s Kenya Hockey Premier League.
It’s a weekend that saw former champions Kenya Police and Greensharks also register vitals wins for good positioning in the league.
Kenya Police rallied from 3-0 down to bring down the high-flying Western Jaguars 5-3 in Kakamega on Saturday, while Greensharks had downed Sailors 1-0 on Labour Day.
Interestingly, Butali and Wazalendo, who didn’t have an assignment last weekend as well as Jaguars and Greensharks have nine points each, but they follow each in that order based on goal difference.
“That is a pointer of what our opponents should expect in days to come,” said Owoka, after their demolition job against Gladiators, a victory that came a fortnight after they edged out former champions Police 2-1.
Francis Kariuki and George Mutira scored a brace each to spur Butali Sugar to a comprehensive victory.
Moses Ademba, Constance Wakhura and Calvins Kanu also nailed the ball past Boniface Muna in the Gladiators goal to hand Butali their third consecutive win.
“We didn’t expect it to be this easy, but it’s our game pattern that worked well for us,” said Owoka.
“We pressed upwards to cut off their midfield as we deployed three players inside their circle and two outside.”
Owoka said the victory sends a message to their opponents as they prepare to meet United States International University in their next outing.
It was Gladiators fourth defeat of the season, a result which sees them stay at the bottom of the 10-team league standings with a point. It’s perhaps the worst start to the season for the two-time champions.
“We simply didn’t show up and the boys will surely learn through the hard way,” said Strathmore’s coach Meshak Senge.
“Ï really can’t blame the rookies in the team since our major problem is confidence.”
On Saturday, Western Jaguars’ unbeaten run came to an end when they squandered a 3-0 lead that came within the first 20 minutes to lose to Police 5-3 at Eregi Teachers College.
Police are now sixth in the log with four points, one behind fifth-placed Parklands, who forced a 2-2 draw against 2012 champions Nairobi Simba.
Conrad Wafula startled visiting Police when he sunk a hat-trick in quick succession in the 14th, 15th and 20th minutes.
Then Robert Masibo would drill a brace in the 25th and 29th minutes, with skipper Oliver Echenje sinking in between in the 25th minute to level and lead Police's thrilling comeback.
The Patrick Mugambi coached Police would silence the young Jaguars side further when Samson Kibirir and Samuel Wokila scored in 33rd and 39th minutes respectively to put away the duel.
