Old foes meet again: Champions Orange Telkom to open old wound against Nigeria's Heartlands in Africa Club Cup tie

Margret Rotich and Rose Hamis Gasper

There will be no love lost when Africa Hockey Cup of Clubs champion Orange Telkom meet former giants Heartlands of Nigeria in their last pool A encounter at Khumalo Stadium in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe.

The Kenyan girls dethroned the Nigerians in 2012 at the same venue to snatch the continental crown and bragging rights. They hope history will favour them again.

Orange have lived up to their billing and their title retention campaign remains untainted. They are yet to lose or concede a goal in the competition so far. Orange are determined to write history as the first club to win the title on a clean sheet without conceding a solitary goal.

Orange head coach Jos Openda is confident his charges will put up a hard fight against defiant Nigerians in order to achieve their objectives.

"Our main aim is to retain the title. We can only pull off by winning against the tough Nigerians," he said.

Openda added that the players have been alert and stuck to their original plans which is working for them.

"I am impressed with my players because they have remained focused, stuck to our plans and it is working for us. We have all turned our attention and are planning on to secure the much needed victory," he added.

The six-time champions have had a good run in the tournament. They opened their campaign with a 7-0 victory against Shams of Egypt.

They routed hosts Bulawayo Athletics Club (BAC) 5-0 and thumped Twende of Tanzania 9-0 to secure a semis slot. But even against Heartland, in what is a dead rubber tie, Orange are determined to win.

The last time the two clubs met, the match ended in a barren draw, which saw the West Africans relinquish to the trophy Orange.

The Nigerians pulled out of the last event held in Kampala, Uganda but are now back to reclaim their title as Captain Justina Onyedum affirms.

"We are back to repossess our title. We are not ready to go back home without the trophy. We will fight tooth and nail because we believe we deserve the continental crown," Onyedum said.

Heartlands remain unbeaten with two wins and a draw. They beat Shams 12-0 and dismissed Twende 5-0, they later played to a 3-3 draw with hosts BAC.

Debutants Genetrix of Malawi will be seeking their first ever continental victory when they take on Sharkia of Egypt.

BAC will tackle Shams of Egypt in their last group A tie, a victory for them and a loss for Heartlands to Orange will see the home girls secure a play-offs berth.

In the men's contest defending champions Egypt Police plot to arrest hosts Hippo Valley who are still in the run for a last four spot.

Another Zimbabwean side Eradicators will be seeking to wipe out Police Machines of Nigeria in a quest for a better seeding position.

Ghanaian insurers Trustees will be out to maintain their unbeaten run against poor Genetrix.