ACCC 34M-25W – Kisumu Lakers, Western Jaguars book Africa Cup for Club Champions finals

    Lakers Hockey Club and Western Jaguars are in the 2023 Africa Cup for Club Champions (ACCC) finals. Lakers from Kisumu will face off against defending champions Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) in the finals set for Sunday from 2pm East African Time while Jaguars renew rivalry with Sharkia from Egypt in the finals as curtains come down in Blantyre, Malawi. Lakers booked a spot in the women’s finals after seeing off Delta Queens from Nigeria 2-0 to finish second in the round-robin tournament as preliminary matches ended on Saturday. Reigning KHU Premier League MVP Aurelia Opondo gave Lakers the lead in the 10th minute of the first quarter before Pauline Ochieng sealed the win for the Kisumu-based outfit in the 38th minute. The win saw Lakers solidify their second spot with 14 points, two points behind leader and defending champions GRA. GRA thrashed Scorpions from Malawi 15-0 to finish top and they will now renew their rivalry with Lakers in today’s finals. On Tuesday, Lakers drew 2-2 with GRA during the preliminary matches, a draw they must now turn to win if they are to win their maiden African hockey title. Kenya’s other representatives Blazers Hockey Club settled for third in the standings despite hammering Capital Braves 12-0. Blazer will play Delta Queens in the third place playoffs in what will be a reapeat of their Thursday’s 0-0 draw. In the men’s category, Western Jaguars came from 2-0 down at half time to force a 2-2 draw with defending champions Sharkia. Captain Mesakan Hossam gave the Egyptians a second minute lead before Ali Hamada converted a penalty corner in the 22nd minute for a 2-0 half time lead. However, Jaguars pulled a goal back through Edison Ndombi in the 39th minute before Emannuel Wiswa secured Jaguar’s the crucial point that took them to the finals. Source: standardmedia.co.ke | November 25, 2023

    ACCC 34M-25W – Lakers and Western Jaguars carry Kenya’s gold medal hopes in Malawi

      Lakers Hockey Club and Western Jaguars carry Kenya’s golden hopes as they chase final slots at the 2023 Africa Cup for Club Champions (ACCC) in Malawi. After a week of intense matches in the sand-based National Hockey Stadium in Blantyre, Malawi, the men’s and women’s preliminary matches are set to end on Saturday with the top two teams in each category set to face off in the finals on Sunday. Played in a round-robin format, the third and fourth placed teams will fight for bronze in the classification matches. Lakers Hockey Club are currently second in the standing of the women’s category with 11 points after three wins and two draws. The Kisumu City-based outfit have so far scored 39 goals in the five matches whilst conceding only three goals, the fewest in the tournament. Lakers began the tourney with a 12-0 win over Scorpions before drawing 0-0 with Blazers on Sunday. A whopping 15-0 win over Capital Braves from Malawi followed on Monday before their 2-2 draw with GRA. This was followed by a 10-1 win over Capital Braves, a win that not only maintained their unbeaten run but also solidified their finals spot chase. Today, Lakers will face off with Delta Queens of Nigeria in what will be a rematch of the 2022 edition played earlier this year. In February, the match concluded with a goalless draw against Delta Queens, leaving Lakers tied for third place with the Nigerian side, separated only by a cruel goal difference. Lakers need to avoid defeat to sail through to the finals. A draw of any sort will see them face off against defending champions Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) who have already booked a spot with a game to spare. GRA are top with 13 points followed by Lakers with 11 points. Delta Queens are third with 10 points. Blazers, Kenya’s other club were knocked out of the finals contention after their 0-0 draw with Delta on Thursday. With eight points, the best points they can amass is 11 points if they win their last match against Capital Braves. Points that won’t be enough to secure second spot. In the men’s category, Western Jaguars who are second with 13 points will hope to pick a point against leaders and defending champions Sharkia when they play today in the final preliminary match. Sharkia are already through to the finals after five wins in a row while Jaguars will be wary of third placed Genetrix from Malawi who have 10 points. Defeat to Sharkia will mean Jaguars have to bank on goal difference to separate them. Jaguars have 27 goals while Genetrix 17 goals, a deficit of 10 goals. Saturday’s 2023 ACCC Fixtures Sharkia (Egypt) v Western Jaguars (Kenya)-10am Capital Braves (Malawi) v Blazers (Kenya)-12pm Lakers (Kenya) v Delta Queens (Nigeria)-4pm (All matches kick off in EAT) Source: standardmedia.co.ke | November 24, 2023

      FIH Hockey Women’s Junior World Cup Chile 2023: Pool B Preview

        23 November, 2023 As part of our build-up to the FIH Hockey Women’s Junior World Cup Chile 2023, we bring you the second of four Pool previews which examines the qualification routes, past form and crucial players from the teams that will compete at the showpiece event in Santiago, Chile. Argentina, Korea, Spain and Zimbabwe all feature in Pool B, with a top two finish being the only way to secure a place in the competition quarter-finals and thus maintain hopes of Junior World Cup glory. Argentina FIH Junior World Ranking: 2 How they qualified: 5th place – FIH Hockey Junior World Cup South Africa 2022 Junior World Cup history: 2022 – 5th, 2016 – 1st, 2013 – 2nd, 2009 – 2nd, 2005 – 5th, 2001 – 2nd, 1997 – 3rd, 1993 – 1st, 1989 – 6th. About the team: With two gold medals, three silvers and one bronze, Argentina have an impressive record in the women’s Junior World Cup. A fifth-place finish at the 2022 edition in Potchefstroom was only the third time in the competition’s history that the giants of Pan American hockey have failed to medal, something they will be determined to correct in Santiago, the city that staged their last Junior World Cup title success in 2016. Earlier this year, Las Leoncitas produced a fine set of performances at the Junior Pan American Championships, defeating Uruguay (4-0), USA (2-0) and Canada (1-0) to reach the gold medal game. However, the team could not get over the line, with USA taking the title in a shoot-out after regular time finished with the scores level at 1-1. The team selected by head coach Juan Lopez contains three players who helped Argentina’s senior women’s team to glory at the recent Pan American Games 2023, with Juana Castellaro, Sofia Cairo, and Valentina Raposo – an Olympic sliver medallist from Tokyo 2020, no less – all returning to the same Santiago pitches in search of more silverware.  Korea FIH Junior World Ranking: 7 How they qualified: 2nd Place – Junior Asia Cup 2023 Junior World Cup history: 2022 – 6th, 2016 – 12th, 2013 – 11th, 2009 – 3rd, 2005 – 1st, 2001 – 1st, 1997 – 5th, 1993 – 4th, 1989 – 2nd. About the team: As the Junior World Cup champions of 2001 and 2005 as well as being silver medallists in 1989 and bronze medallists in 2009, Korea have a fine reputation in this competition. They have competed in all nine previous editions, having bounced back from poor results at Mönchengladbach 2013 (11th) and Santiago 2016 (12th) by landing a sixth-place finish at the 2022 competition in Potchefstroom, South Africa. A silver medal winning performance at June’s Women’s Junior Asia Cup 2023 in Kakamigahara, Japan will have provided a boost to the team’s confidence levels. Inspired by seven competition goals from penalty corner ace An Sujin, Korea defeated Malaysia and China on their way to the final, where they fell to a 2-1 loss against India. An Sujin could be a key player for Korea in Santiago, with Jeong Saena, team captain Lee Yujin and Park Seoyeon also capable of making telling contributions to the scoreboard. Spain FIH Junior World Ranking: 10 How they qualified: 5th Place – EuroHockey Junior Championship 2022 Junior World Cup history: 2016 – 4th, 2013 – 5th, 2009 – 13th, 2005 – 6th, 2001 – 10th, 1997 – 9th, 1993 – 7th. About the team: Having made the difficult decision to withdraw from the previous, rescheduled edition, Spain return to women’s Junior World Cup action and will be out to impress in Santiago. Their last Junior World Cup appearance also took place in the Chilean capital, where they finished in fourth position. While just missing out on the bronze medal due to a painful shoot-out loss against Australia, it was their highest ever placement in the Junior World Cup. Spain finished fifth at the EuroHockey Junior Championship 2022 in Ghent, Belgium, a position that did not reflect the quality of their performances. Having thrashed Wales 6-0 and claimed a 1-1 draw against the Netherlands, a narrow 1-0 defeat at the hands of hosts Belgium saw them miss out on the semi-finals, before sealing fifth position with a 6-1 triumph over Scotland and ultimately seal a ticket to Santiago 2023. The team is captained by Ana Bousquet, while Teresa Lima – who scored four goals in four games to help Spain to a second-place finish at the 2023 4 Nations Junior Women’s Invitational Tournament in Düsseldorf, Germany – could well be one to watch. Zimbabwe FIH Junior World Ranking: 21 How they qualified: 2nd Place – Junior Africa Cup 2023 Junior World Cup history: 2022 – 12th, 2016 – 16th, 2005 – 16th, 1989 – 12th About the team: Zimbabwe make a fifth appearance at the Women’s Junior World Cup, and their third in succession. After finishing bottom of the standings at Ottawa 1989, Santiago 2005 and Santiago 2016 competitions, the team finished 12th out of 15 at the Potchefstroom 2022 event in South Africa, and they will be keen to set an even higher mark at Santiago 2023. Earlier this year, Zimbabwe took the silver medal at the Junior Africa Cup 2023 in Ismailia, Egypt, giving South Africa a stern test in the competition final before a fourth quarter strike from Jesquinique Coltman ended their hopes, losing 1-0. Seventeen-year-old Tinodiwanashe Elijah netted four times at the competition in Ismailia, with Tanyaradzwa Changa and Kaylee Sithole scoring two apiece. The team are coached by Bradley Heuer, a goalkeeper who has represented Zimbabwe senior men’s team both outdoors and indoors. The FIH Hockey Women’s Junior World Cup Chile 2023 begins on 29 November with 12 teams in action on opening day! Pool B encounter between Korea and Zimbabwe will get the event underway at 10am local time. High octane clashes between Netherlands and Australia, India and Canada, Argentina and Spain, Germany and Belgium will follow, before hosts Chile play the final match of the

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