Wananchi Ladies keen to stretch lead in hockey league
Determined. Rhinos’ starlet Annet Awat in National League action recently. The versatile player must be at her best if Rhinos is to upset overwhelming favourites Wananchi this afternoon. PHOTO BY EDDIE CHICCO
KAMPALA. Wananchi lead the ladies’ Uganda Baati Hockey League with 16 points after seven games.
The task for the four-time on the bounce champions, who conclude their second round today against bottom-placed Rhinos, is to turn on the pressure by stretching the gap between them and challengers Kampala Hockey Club (KHC) Swans to seven points.
KHC and Wananchi drew a fortnight ago. That is the first time the defending champions have dropped points in four games.
KHC, who are not in action till next Sunday when they counter rivals Weatherhead ahead of the mid-season break, will be hoping that coach Innocent Mbabali’s side can fall into a slump.
However, they have to hope for a favour from Rhinos, who have been in poor form since they beat Deliverance Church 3-2 in April. Rhinos have also rarely enjoyed their encounters with Wananchi and lost the first round berth 7-1.
Meanwhile, in the men’s category, Weatherhead play City Lions with an aim to stay on course with their plan to finish the second round with three points more than defending champions Wananchi who entertain Historicals tomorrow.
Both Weatherhead and Wananchi are level on 26 points but the latter have played one game more and enjoy a healthy goal advantage of +52. Weatherhead’s is +42 but their second round ends next weekend against Makerere.
City Lions rebranded from Simba at the start of the second round but have hardly roared to anything positive on pitch.
They have lost three of their four games to Rockets, Makerere and Wananchi with a 3-3 draw against KHC Stallions as the only point from this round.
Today at Lugogo
M: City Lions vs. Weatherhead, 2pm
W: Wananchi vs. Rhinos, 4pm
TOMORROW AT lugogo
M: Makerere vs. Rockets, 1pm
M: Historicals vs. Wananchi, 3pm
