Kenya advances to African Hockey Olympic qualifiers semis after downing Ghana

The Kenyan women’s national team the Blades extended their good start in the African Hockey Olympic qualifiers after narrowly edging Ghana 3-2 at the University of Pretoria in South Africa.

Consequently, the team sailed to the semifinals of the tournament with a game to spare.

The Blades who sit at the summit of pool B following the win over Ghana had launched their qualification campaign in style after flooring Zambia 4-0 on Sunday at the same venue.

The win over Ghana who are ranked 32nd globally wasn’t an easy one as Kenya had to fend off pressure in the dying minutes of the final quarter to protect the slim advantage.

Flanker Maureen Okumu was picked as the best player of the match as her goal won the game for Kenya.

The Blazers forward who has two goals in the tournament tapped the ball after the Ghanaian goalkeeper deflected a ball from Grace Bwire on her path.

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Okumu, couldn’t contain her joy after helping her team that is ranked 35th globally inch closer to the semis.

“I am happy to have scored again. As a team, we were yearning for nothing short of victory,” she said moments after receiving the award.

Kenyan skipper Lyne Kipsang was full of praise for the team for leaving everything on the pitch and securing three points at the end.

“Credit to the ladies for the effort put in today. Ghana played well as well. We have been working hard for this and it is satisfying to get the three points,” she said.

Eleanor Chebet and Bwire scored the other two goals for Kenya in the second and 29th minutes of the game. The duo profited from their good positioning as they had easy times in dragging the ball past the line after the Ghanaians failed to deal with penalty corners from Tracy Karanja.

Marvis Berko accounted for the two goals Ghana scored although her second, came off the shoulder of Alice Owiti.

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Ghana captain Elizabeth Opoku wasn’t left impressed with a number of calls that she felt cost her team in the end.

“I wasn’t happy with the officiating at all. Credit to Kenya for the good fight,” she claimed.

Kenya will look to wrap the group stage action with a win against Namibia on Wednesday and sail to the semis.

Ghana will play Zambia on the same day. The top two teams will sail to the last four of the qualifiers.

Namibia have already bade the tournament goodbye while Ghana and Zambia who have three points each stand a chance of joiing Kenya to the semis.