Two goals in four minutes guide Upper Hill into semifinals

Part of Upper Hill Schoo Hockey team sing school anthem after qualifying for the finals by defeating Parklands Boys during Kanya Secondary School Term One games at State House Girls on Friday, April 14, 2017. [PHOTO: JONAH ONYANGO/STANDARD]

Nairobi’s Upper Hill booked their place in boys’ hockey semi-finals after defeating Thika High School 2-0 yesterday in Embu.

Two goals in four minutes from Timothy Simiyu and Spencer Yaiko gave the Nairobi-based side their second win in pool B and most importantly, assured them of a place in tomorrow’s semis. 

Upper Hill opened their campaign with a 1-0 win over Meru School in their opening match on Tuesday. Upper Hill coach Dennis Wekesa is optimistic his charges can go all the way as they seek their maiden title. 

“We have achieved our first target and the lads are fired up and believe they can go all the way to the final on Saturday,” Wekesa said.

Champions St Anthony’s Kitale drew 1-1 with Meru School in another pool encounter. Rawlings Sikolia fired the Rift Valley region side ahead in the first minute, but Meru hit back four minutes later through Lewis Murimi.

St Anthowny’s have four points and will need to avoid losing to Upper Hill today in their final match to secure their place in the last four. 

In girls’ matches, Bura Girls upset favourites Tigoi Girls 1-0 in their second pool B match. Matilda Ratemo scored the only goal of the match in the 39th minute.

The Coastal champions now have four points after drawing 1-1 with Nyamira Girls in their first match. Nyamira Girls hit Moi Girls Eldoret 2-0 in the other pool encounter. Betty Nasirumbi and Daughty Panga were the goal scorers for Nyamira.

In handball, four-time champions Moises Girls Kamusinga cruised into the semis after a closely contested 24-23 win over St Joseph Kirandich of Rift Valley, their second win of the competition.

Kamusinga won their opening match 24-11 against Nairobi’s New Jogoo Road Girls on Tuesday and now have six points with a match in hand.

Jogoo Road bounced back from their loss to Kamusinga to beat North Eastern’s Kutulo 29-5.