Gladiators needed to win by a four goal difference to dislodge Kenya Police who were on top of the league but having played all their games. Gladiators took to the pitch at City Park with one intention - to walk away with the league title and become only the third team in history to win the league two seasons in a row. The other teams are Ulinzi and Nairobi Simba.
Gladiators started the game in earnest and came close to scoring in the third minute. In the 7th minute, George Mutira slipped in a well delivered long pass from the midfield to put Gladiators ahead by one goal.
Third positioned KCA came back fighting but their efforts didn’t bear fruit thanks to the Gladiators’ goal keeper. A stint of sleek passing by Allan Iningu and Davies Wanangwe in the midfield in the 15th minute broke KCA midfielders.
Allan passed the ball to Frank Wanangwe who shot for goal. The KCA goalkeeper went out for the shot but George Mutira reached it first and slipped it past the goal line and Gladiators were two goals up!
Gladiators failed to score from four short corners and a penalty in the opening minutes of first half. This gave KCA some spirit. It didn’t take long for Gladiators to get their scoring ways back.
In the 63rd minute, Gladiators got another short corner. Receiving the ball, Allan Iningu side-stepped a KCA defender and passed the ball to Kenneth Nyongesa who went for goal. Once again George Mutira got the ball before the goalkeeper and deflected it into the net to put Gladiators three up!
Gladiators knew that one more goal and they had the league. Two minutes later, Davis Wanangwe made a solo run on a counter attack. He reached the goal area and passed the ball to Allan Iningu who made as if he was going to shoot but slipped the ball to George Mutira who blasted it passed the KCA goalkeeper for the fourth time in the game.
At 4-0, the league title was now Gladiators. But the game had fifteen minutes of play remaining. Gladiators didn’t relax but played their hearts out till the final whistle!
“We needed four goals and we got them. I am very grateful to my team mates for the trust they had in me today. They gave me four passes in the goal area and I converted all the four. The league title is ours now,” said an elated George Mutira.
Praising his charges, Gladiators coach Mr Meshack Senge attributed the season’s victory to the lads discipline, focus and team work. The coach also thanked all the fans who came to cheer them in this crucial game that included Leos (the University’s rugby team) and Scorpions (the University’s women’s hockey team).
The Dean of Students Mr Paul Ochieng was full of praises for the team especially for their strength of character that saw them defend the trophy successfully.
Gladiators leave for Accra, Ghana on 8th December 2010 to represent Kenya at the 2010 Africa Hockey Club Championships. With the 2010 league victory, the Gladiators will again represent Kenya at the 2011 Africa Hockey Club Championships.
Gladiators are the current title holders of both the Kenya and East Africa Universities Hockey championship.
www.strathmore.edu
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|
