This archive report was first published on 15 September 2019.
On Sunday, September 15, 2019, defending champions Butali Sugar Warriors scored crucial goals in the second and last quarter to outmaneuver United States International University-Africa (USIU-A) 2-0 at City Park Stadium, reclaiming their lead in the men's hockey Premier League.
Constant Wakhura and Zack Aura scored off penalty corners in the 19th and 50th minutes, respectively, to uphold their unbeaten run and move back to the top with 27 points.
Butali Sugar Warriors' victory marked a better show from the team, who had previously been forced to a 3-3 draw by USIU-A in the first leg. The varsity side looked disjointed this time around, missing several open scoring opportunities.
Wazalendo had briefly taken the lead with 26 points, but dropped back to second place after Butali's third consecutive victory. Butali now boasts eight wins and three draws, while Wazalendo have eight wins, two draws, and three losses.
Butali Sugar Warriors' coach Dennis Owoka praised his team's performance, saying, 'It's a good win after we shared the spoils in the first leg. We had them at the back foot this time around and they couldn't have a good shot on goal.'
Owoka also acknowledged areas for improvement, stating, 'We defended well but our finishing could have done better especially from George Mutira and Amos Barkibir, who didn’t have a good game.'
USIU-A's stand-in coach Stephen Wokila attributed their loss to the absence of key players due to suspension, forcing them to make adjustments. Wokila also emphasized the need for better finishing, saying, 'Our finishing wasn’t good hence we must deal with it if we are to win matches.'
