Reigning Kenya Hockey Union (KHU) Men’s Premier League champions Western Jaguars will tomorrow lock horns with former holders Butali Warriors at the Dashmesh Stadium.
Jaguars, who are keen to defend their title, will be out to end the first leg on a high and enhance their chances of extending their reign to two years in a row.
Butali, on the other hand, will be seeking to prove that they are still a force to reckon with, especially after suffering a humiliating 1-6 defeat at the hands of United States International University of Africa (USIU-A) students.
Warriors and Jaguars, currently placed second and third on the table, will have everything to fight for in their last two first-leg encounters. The duo is separated by four points, with Warriors who have won six out of their seven matches, having 18 points, while Jaguars have 14 from four wins, two draws and one loss.
Jaguars will today take on ninth-placed KCA University at the Parklands Sports Club, with a victory increasing their hopes of a top three finish ahead of the second leg. Butali will also be in action today against Wazalendo Hockey Club with the aim of bouncing back from the defeat against USIU-A Mashujaa.
Wazalendo will wrap their first leg campaign tomorrow against struggling Strathmore University Gladiators. A double victory for Wazalendo, who are currently fourth on the standings, will see them garner 18 points out of the possible 27. They have so far dropped nine in three draws and a loss and have 12. The Gladiators, who are two places above relegation, have only managed six points from two wins and six losses.
In another Men’s Premier League tie, hosts Parklands Sports Club will tackle 2012 champions Nairobi Sik Union. Sikh Union will be out to consolidate their spot in the top five against Parklands, who, despite having a promising start to the season, fizzled out and are seventh with six points. League leaders USIU-A Mashujaa played their last first leg match last weekend.
In the Women’s Premier League title chase, rookies Twinkle Hockey Club will be hoping to punch above their weight when they take on record champions Blazers Hockey Club at Jamhuri High School.
Twinkle, who are yet to taste victory since ascending to the top tier, are eager to finally get it right, though they face an uphill task against Blazers as well as former title holders Strathmore Scorpions, who they play tomorrow at the same venue.
Twinkle lead from the wrong end of the table with three points garnered from draws against Mombasa Sports Club (MSC), Amira Sailors and Kisumu Queens. They have lost four matches and remain stuck in the relegation zone. Blazers top the standings with 18 points, while Scorpions, who are having a dull season, are seventh with eight points from seven matches.