Telkom Orange celebrate after winning yesterday. [PHOTO: JENNIPHEH WACHIE]

BY ELIZABETH MBURUGU

KENYA: African hockey women’s club champions Orange Telkom thumped Ghana Revenue Authority 2-1 to cruise to the final of the African Club Championships final at Lugogo National hockey stadium in Kampala, yesterday.

The five-time continental champions are a match away from retaining the title they won in 2012 in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe.

Orange head coach, Jos Openda, was impressed with the girls’ performance, saying they played well despite missing chances to score.

“We played well as our opponents are equally good,” he said. “We look forward to the final which is likely to be Kenyan affair and we intend to retain our title,” he added.

The champions went into the match determined to win and keep their hopes of retaining the title alive. Three minutes into the game, Caroline Guchu sent the ball past Ghanaian goalkeeper Grace Mensah to put them in the lead.  

The Kenyan girls surged on with the attacks, maintaining ball possession while putting pressure on the Ghanaians. However, the West Africans resorted to playing defensive game and keeping the Kenyans away from their territory. Orange put up a fighting spirit and their efforts paid off in the 35th minute from a Jacqueline Jow field goal to put them two-up by the halftime whistle.

The second half saw GRA counterattack, scoring a consolation goal in the 63rd minute through Monica Grant. Orange will now face the winners between Strathmore and Weatherheads of Uganda in the finals.

 Meanwhile, Kenya Police thrashed Trustees of Ghana 2-0 in their last Group B match to cruise to the semifinals. They went into the game brimming with confidence and played long balls and good passes running rings around their  opponents. They played offensively, threatening the Ghanaian insurers’ defense with their first attempt coming in the seventh minute but was saved by goalkeeper Haruna Eliasu.

Oliver Echenje broke the deadlock in the 14th minute after scoring a fantastic goal from a Francis Esikuri pass from the left.