This archive report was first published on 22 July 2019.
Kenya men's national hockey team head coach Meshack Senge has raised concerns about the team's preparedness for the 2020 Olympic qualifiers scheduled to take place in South Africa from August 12 to 18.
Speaking after a 3-1 win against the Sports Authority of India (SAI) on Sunday at the Sheikh Union Club in Nairobi, Senge emphasized the need for further improvement before the qualifiers.
"We have tried to experiment with SAI, and it has been a confidence boost for us, but we are not yet there in terms of preparations," Senge said.
The team is set to face stiff competition in Pool A, which includes Uganda, Nigeria, and South Africa, with Pool B featuring Egypt, Ghana, Namibia, and Zimbabwe.
Kenya is scheduled to jet out on August 10 for the assignment, with their first match against Uganda on August 12, followed by a match against South Africa on August 13, and a tricky fixture against Nigeria on August 15.
Despite the positive results, Senge remains focused on addressing the team's weaknesses, including set piece executions, out letting, counter control, and managing turnovers.
"The results are positive and encouraging, but we still have to work on other areas so as to perform well, and we hope to qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics," Senge charged.
