African Hockey Clubs Championships : day 5

: Sharkia and Police Union Looking Good for Gold

Defending champions Sharkia of Egypt set the stage for another title quest with a closely fought 3-2 win over Golden Sticks of Ghana on match day 5. The win gives Sharkia a perfect record of 4 wins from 4 matches in the competition and will definitely be starring in the championship match scheduled for the weekend. The win did not come easy as the Ghanaians threw everything at the defending champions and matched them squarely in all departments of the game. Sharkia raced into a 2-0 lead but succumbed to 2 penalty corner strikes by Jacob Sowah in a 3 minute spell in the second half. With a draw staring them in the face, the Egyptians fought to regain the lead and ensure the win. Police Union almost guaranteed themselves another date with their counterparts to decide who is crowned champion when they put 3 unanswered goals past Delta Force of Nigeria. Police went 2 ahead in the first half and added a third in the second to seal the victory.

In the 3rd men’s match, Exchequers of Ghana were humbled 4-3 by Yobe Desert Rollers of Nigeria in a drama-filled match. The goals were scored in rapid succession after Exchequers had led 1-0 at halftime. The last 5 minutes were action filled as Exchequers drew level on 3-3 but losing concentration once more to allow Yobe to snatch the winner at the very end.

The women’s encounter remains tight with no clear favorites. Defending champions Heartlands bounced back from their defeat to Reformers with a 3-1 win over Sharkia. Reformers kept their dream alive with a slim 1-0 win over the Blue Eaglets while CEPS inched closer to a top 2 finish in the round-robin competition with a 2-1 win over the Bayelsa Queens.

Matches coming up on match day 6 will be the penultimate round in the women’s competition as the men sit out on a rest day. Heartlands will continue their quest for a good campaign with a win over Telkom Orange who are also seeking an opportunity to reclaim the title they have held a few times. Sharkia will face the Bayelsa Queens as CEPS will attempt to further deepen the woes of the Blue Eaglets.