Battered Strathmore battle USIU in must-win hockey league tie

United States International University of Africa Spartans (USIU-A) Spartans will be looking to seal second place in the Kenya Hockey Union women’s Premier League when they take on vanquished Strathmore University Scorpions at the City Park Stadium, Nairobi on Friday.

Spartans need just a point to secure second place behind champions Telkom and a place in this year’s Africa Cup for Club Championship tourney. Scorpions, who are placed third in the log, trail their second placed opponents by six points and cannot afford to drop points.

Both teams have two games left and pressure will be on the Scorpions to win all their remaining matches convincingly starting with Friday evening’s contest against their rivals. Their first leg meeting ended 2-2 and Friday’s encounter is once again expected to be a close contest.

Spartans come into the match on the back of four successive wins that have seen them on the brink of qualifying for their first ever continental event.

Spartans coach Willis Okeyo has been impressed with his team’s campaign and believes finishing in second place is their reward.

“We have been very consistent this season and the results speak for themselves. We have great team work and the charges can secure second place with a good result against Scorpions,” Okeyo said on Thursday.

Spartans’ goof form has been occasioned by the impressive displays of their top scorer Rhoda Kuira, skipper Beatrice Mbugua as well versatile players Sandra Vodoti and Rachel Wangui. Spartans will welcome back Vodoti for this match as they seek a win that will take their tally to 49 points from 19 matches.

Kuira will lead the attack as she seeks to add to her tally of 15 goals scored this season. Scorpions on other hand come into the match on the back of a disappointing fifth place finish at last week’s Africa Cup for Club Championship in Accra, Ghana.

Scorpions coach Meshack Senge admits it will be hard to rally his charges mentally after an embarrassing continental campaign.

“We picked a lot of positives in Accra and hopefully they can help the team in our last two matches of the season,” Senge said.

Anything other than a win will see their dream of returning to yet another continental championship go up in smoke. International Gilly Okumu, who scored three goals in Ghana, will lead Scorpions’ attack.