Tuesday, 27.01.26 Coach Ulisi believes that her charges have what it takes to beat the experienced Ghanaian side and secure the title Kenya’s continental clubs’ hockey campaign produced contrasting outcomes on Tuesday, as Lakers Hockey Club sealed a place in the women’s gold medal match, while USIU-A suffered a setback in the men’s competition at the ongoing Africa Cup for Club Champions (ACCC) in Harare, Zimbabwe. Lakers confirmed their growing momentum in the women’s tournament with a convincing 3-0 victory over Bulawayo Hockey Club, finishing the round-robin stage second on the standings and setting up a gold medal clash against defending champions Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) on Saturday, 31 January. Goals from Millicent Adhiambo, Maurine Achieng and Mourine Owiti were enough to earn the Kisumu-based club victory. Owiti was named player of the match following a commanding display that underlined Lakers’ attacking depth. The win capped an impressive recovery for the Kenyan girls, who had opened their campaign with a 2–0 loss to GRA before bouncing back with wins over Hippo and Bulawayo. Their late surge has now earned them a shot at continental silverware. Lakers’ coach Sheldon Ulisi said the team’s confidence has risen steadily as the tournament has progressed. “The morale in the team is soaring, and we are building on that energy and using the experience from previous matches to prepare for the final,” said Ulisi. Ulisi added that efficiency in front of the goal will be key against the experienced Ghanaian side. “We are looking to utilise all the chances that will come our way during the match.” The Lakers coach also pointed to recovery and tactical refinement ahead of the final showdown. “With the time we have to prepare for the match, we have addressed all the injuries that came up in the first games and are using the rest days for recovery and game planning to adjust our tactics for the final,” he said. Victory on Saturday would mark a historic moment for the club and Kenyan women’s hockey. “The team is well prepared for this competition. The win will secure a great record. We have been looking forward to setting a high standard in Kenyan hockey and bringing the trophy and pride home.” In the men’s competition, USIU-A endured a difficult afternoon, going down 6-1 to Egyptian champions Portfoaud in their second group match. The heavy defeat leaves the Kenyan students third in Pool A, behind fellow Egyptian sides Sharkia and Portfouad. USIU-A faces a demanding end to the group stage, with a fixture against School of Excellence Hockey Club (Namibia) scheduled for Wednesday, 28 January, before closing their pool matches against defending champions Sharkia on Thursday, 29 January. The remaining matches will be decisive in determining their final classification and potential progression routes. With Lakers eyeing continental glory in the women’s final and USIU-A seeking to regroup in the men’s tournament, Kenyan attention now turns to the business end of the ACCC. Saturday’s final against GRA presents Lakers with an opportunity to crown a resilient campaign, while USIU-A will aim to salvage momentum and finish strongly against elite opposition. Source: mozzartsport.co.ke

ACCC 2026 | Club standings at Day 2 – Men & Women

The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) Hockey teams have enjoyed impressive starts at the ongoing Africa Cup for Club Championship (ACCC) in Harare, Zimbabwe, recording important wins in their opening group games. In the men’s division, GRA showed resilience in a tough opening encounter, edging Hotspurs of Zambia 1-0, with Andy Adjetey scoring the decisive goal. In their second match played yesterday, the GRA men delivered a dominant display, thrashing Bulawayo 8-1. Goals came from Henry Quartey, Ernest Obeng Opoku, Peter Mantey, Mohammed Ibrahim, and Luke Damalie, who netted a hat-trick to earn the Man of the Match award. Speaking after the game, Damalie said the team remained focused despite the impressive start. “The team is focused and determined to continue with the winning formula. We are taking each game one step at a time. We remain committed to the task ahead and are happy with this win because it has boosted our morale going into the next game,” he said. In the women’s division, the Royal Ladies of GRA, who are the defending champions, also opened their campaign with a 2-0 victory over Lakers of Kenya. The goals were scored in each half by Vivian Narkuor and Elizabeth Opoku, with Narkuor going on to win the Player of the Match award. They followed up yesterday with another composed performance, coming from behind to defeat Bulawayo 6-2. After conceding the opening goals, the Ghanaians rallied strongly through their captain, Elizabeth Opoku, who scored a hat-trick. Additional goals came from Vivian Narkuor and Mavis Berko, with Mavis being named Woman of the Match. In her post-match interview, Berko acknowledged the challenge posed by the hosts but emphasised the team’s championship mentality. “Bulawayo gave us a run for our money, but our vision to return the trophy to Ghana pushed us through. Our management, the playing body and the entire country are behind us. Champions don’t have it easy defending titles, but our teamwork and winning mentality earned us the victory and the three maximum points,” she said. The Ghanaian teams will be back in action today against Hippo Hockey Club of Zimbabwe in their third group matches as they continue their quest for continental glory. Source: Ghanaian Times | January 26, 2026

The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) hockey teams have arrived in Harare, Zimbabwe, ahead of the Africa Cup for Club Championship, with the Head of the GRA Sports Unit, Mr Ebenezer Frimpong, leading preparations and expressing confidence in a strong continental showing. The Africa Cup for Club Championship is scheduled to take place in Harare from January 24 to February 31, 2026, and will bring together top club sides from across the continent to compete for honours. Speaking from the team’s hotel in Zimbabwe, Mr Frimpong said the GRA teams were fully focused on the task ahead and determined to represent both the Authority and Ghana with distinction. “The journey to another Africa success starts tomorrow… As the Head of GRA sports unit, we owe the Authority and Ghana success in this continental competition,” he said. Mr Frimpong, who previously served as head coach of the national hockey team between 2015 and 2023, said the teams had gone into the competition well prepared, both physically and mentally, following months of structured training. “Everything looks good at the moment. We don’t have any major injuries in camp,” he noted, adding that the coaches and technical teams had undergone coaching education, leadership and psychological training ahead of the tournament. He explained that preparations had been comprehensive and deliberately designed to meet the demands of high-level competition. “The teams have covered physical, technical, tactical, psychological, and theoretical training, focusing on intensity, volume, and stress management,” he disclosed. Mr Frimpong also paid tribute to the leadership of the Ghana Revenue Authority for its sustained support of hockey and sports development, stressing that institutional backing had been critical to the teams’ progress over the years. “The success story of GRA hockey teams and the sports unit … will be incomplete without the mention of the leadership’s immense support and commitment to using sports as a tool for national development,” he said. With a Master’s degree in Sports Management and currently pursuing a PhD, Mr Frimpong brings a wealth of academic and practical experience to his role. He has also served on the Africa Hockey Federation’s Athletes Committee and Umpires Committee, experience he says is proving valuable in guiding the teams at continental level. “My rich experience and knowledge in sports will be brought to the table. The teams have prepared through general, specific, and pre-competition phases, with focus on nutrition and sports performance. They are ready to take on the challenge and make Ghana proud,” he said. The GRA hockey teams will be hoping to translate that preparation into success as the Africa Cup for Club Championship gets underway in Harare. Source: GraphicOnline  | Jan – 25 – 2026

The Kisumu-based club had lost their opening match to defending champions Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA). Kenya’s representatives at the Africa Cup for Club Champions (ACCC) in Harare registered mixed, but encouraging results in the opening days of the continental tournament. Lakers Hockey Club bounced back from an opening defeat to claim a commanding victory, while USIU-A announced their arrival with an impressive win in the men’s competition. Lakers began their women’s campaign on a difficult note, losing 2-0 to defending champions Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA). Despite a competitive first half, the Kenyan champions were unable to match GRA’s intensity in the closing stages. Head coach Austin Tuju attributed the defeat to fatigue. “We had the match-up until mid-second quarter. Maybe fatigue had a lot to do with our slack performance in the third and fourth quarters. We expect better performances, and we are going for nothing but wins in our next matches,” said Tuju. On the second day of competition, Lakers produced a dominant display to defeat Hippo Hockey Club of Zimbabwe 4-1, reigniting their campaign. Milicent Adhiambo starred with a brace, while Alice Owiti and Debra Otieno added a goal each. The victory kept Lakers firmly in contention in the four-team women’s pool, which also includes Bulawayo and GRA. In the men’s competition, USIU-A convincingly opened their campaign with a 4-1 victory over Kampala Hockey Club of Uganda. Goals from Brian Ogenche, Borris Lukorito, Lawrence Makhatsa and Robinson Omutekete sealed a confident performance for the Kenyan students, who are competing in a demanding Pool A alongside Egyptian giants Sharkia and Portfouad, School of Excellence (Namibia) and Kampala. Coach John Kabuu was pleased with the opening result, but called for sharper finishing. “Good start for the boys. We can only build from that. We need to be more clinical upfront in the forthcoming games,” said Kabuu. The win gave USIU-A early momentum as they navigate one of the toughest groups in the tournament. Both Kenyan sides face crucial fixtures as the group stages intensify. Lakers will finish their round-robin matches against Bulawayo (Zimbabwe) on Monday, 26 January, USIU-A Sunday, take on Portfouad (Egypt) on Monday, 26 January. They will then face SoEHC (Namibia) on Wednesday, 28 January, before closing their pool matches against Sharkia (Egypt) on Thursday, 29 January. The top teams from the pools will progress to the classification and semi-final rounds scheduled for 30 and 31 January. With Lakers now back on track and USIU-A off to a strong start, Kenyan hopes remain alive in both competitions. For Lakers, consistency will be key in their bid to challenge women’s defending champions GRA, while USIU-A’s young squad will be tested against the experience and structure of Egypt’s top clubs. As the ACCC enters its decisive phase, Kenya’s representatives will be aiming to convert promising early signs into sustained continental success. Source: mozzartsport.co.ke | 26.01.26