Wazalendo topple champions Butali Warriors

Amira Sailor Sandra Vodoti(l) and USIU Vivian Esimi fight for the ball when they played Women Premier League at City Park on 11/05/2019( Jenipher Wachie, Standard)

Wazalendo ousted champions Butali Warriors from the top of the Kenya Hockey Union men’s Premier League standings following a hard-fought 4-3 win over Sailors at the weekend.

With the match seemingly headed for a 3-3 stalemate, Alex Munialo’s goal seconds to the final whistle ensured that Wazalendo maintained their 100 per cent win record this season.

Sailors’ Johnstone Indiazi was a dejected man as he watched his hat-trick go to waste with his side unable to salvage a point from the clash.

Wazalendo captain Kennedy Munialo said they were looking to improve on last season’s fourth finish and also qualify for Africa Club Championships.

“We are targeting a podium finish and a ticket to the continental club games. We are working hard and also being in the same age set is working for us because we understand each other better and it makes it easy for us to play us a team and get desired results,” Munialo said.

Matthew Mutiso, Erick Ochieng, Kennedy Munialo and Alex scored for Wazalendo in the sixth, 22rd, 35th and 60th minutes while Indiazi was on target for Sailors in the eighth, 33rd and 38th minutes.

They top the log with 12 points, two more than second-placed Butali from four matches each.

Former champions Kenya Police are third, tied on 10 points with Butali, who have a superior goal difference as well as fourth-placed Western Jaguars from five outings.

At the weekend, the law enforcers defeated Parklands 3-2 while Jaguars laboured to a barren draw with United States International University of Africa (USIU-A) in Kakamega.

Greensharks complete the top five with nine points from three wins and two losses.  

Winless Strathmore University Gladiators are last in the table with one point while 2012 winners Nairobi Sikh Union are also stuck in the relegation zone with three points.

Gladiators won the 2016 title but their performance has not been impressive in the last two seasons.

In the women’s Premier League title chase, defending champions Telkom maintained their top spot despite being held to a 2-2 draw by rookies Lakers.

They lead with eight points, one more than USIU-A Spartans and Lakers. Telkom won two matches and drew two while second-placed Spartans have won two and salvaged a point from a barren draw against unrelenting Lakers.

Lakers, who have played two matches more than Spartans, also have seven points but with an inferior goal difference.

Amira Sailors are fourth with five points from four outings whereas Strathmore Scorpions are fifth from four three league encounters.