Hockey: Butali, Jaguars lock horns at City Park in title decider

Kenya Hockey Union (KHU) will conclude the 2023/24 season on Sunday at City Park Hockey Stadium in Nairobi.

Up for grabs in the men and women's Premier League are automatic tickets to this year's Africa Cup for Clubs Championship, while the top two teams in both genders in the Super League will earn promotion to the top tier.

Top two teams in the men's National League will start life in the Super League next season.

On the flip side, the bottom two teams in the men and women's  Premier League will be relegated to the Super League, while the bottom two teams in the second tier will drop to the National League.

Whereas the women's Premier League champions are already known in Blazers, the men's winner is likely to be determined on Sunday when leaders and defending champions Butali Sugar Warriors play second-placed Western Jaguars pending the KHU verdict on Butali's match against Kenya College of Accountancy-University (KCA-U) match which was to be played on January 28, but the sugar millers missed due to delay in disbursement of funds from their sponsors.

Butali have 43 points from 16 matches, while Jaguars have 42 points from 17 matches.

Western Jaguars coach Michael Malungu said they have worked hard this season and a win against Butali on Sunday will be rewarding. 

"We have had a good season and we just want to end it on a sound note. The players know what is at stake and they are ready to go all the way," said Malungu.

Butali team manager Kamal Sembi said they are keen to defend the title despite facing tough and tricky opponents in Jaguars. 

"It has been a competitive season but we are determined to retain the title. The pressure is on but we will see how it goes on Sunday," said Sembi.

On Saturday, women's champions Blazers, who have 31 points from 12 matches, will line up against Kenyatta University Titans before they square it out with second-placed Lakers on Sunday.

The Lakers have 25 points from 12 matches and have a date with University of Nairobi (UoN) on Saturday.

Dutch Flower Group Wolverines and UoN have been demoted to the second tier from Premier League having finished in the bottom two with eight and seven points from 14 matches.

In the men's Premier League, GreenSharks and KCA-U will be relegated by virtue of finishing in the bottom two places.

Sharks have 10  points from 18 matches while the students have eight points from 16 matches.

Daikyo Heroes and University of Eldoret (UoE) have booked their place in next season's men's Premier League, after emerging top two in the second tier.

Daikyo lead the standings with 50 points from 21 matches while the students have 44 points from as many matches. 

Sliders and Mombasa Sports Club (MSC) return to the women's Premier League from Super League. 

Sliders have 53 points from 20 matches, 10 points ahead of MSC who have a match against Multimedia University (MMU).

MSC and Sliders were relegated from the Premier League to the Super League last season. 

Meanwhile, it's still not clear whether both men and women's national teams will participate in African Games in Accra, Ghana next month.

KHU President Nashon Randiek decried the lack of communication from the Kenya National Sports Council (KNSC).

"Hockey has not been part of the African Games. But now that the sport was drafted in the event this year, the country has the chance to play against top teams in the continent and it's sad that KNSC has not communicated. We really don't know our fate despite the teams having been in training since last month," said Randiek.

Fixtures (All matches at City Park unless stated)

Saturday

UoN v Kisii Falcons 10am

Kitale Hockey Club v (Impala, 12pm)

MSC v MMU (Mombasa, 3pm)

UoN v Lakers 2pm

Kenya Police v Sikh Union (Sikh,3pm)
KU v Blazers 4pm

Wazalendo v Strathmore University 6pm

Sunday

Blazers v Lakers 12pm

Butali v Western Jaguars 2pm