- The team lost their second successive match
- They have now lost an opportunity of making the quarter finals
- Kenya is making their debut in women’s hockey in the Commonwealth Games
The Kenyan ladies hockey team suffered another devastating defeat, going down 8-0 to Australia in their second match at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
The Blades were blunted by the silver medalists from the 2018 showpiece in Gold Coast, Australia, but it was a slightly better score, having conceded double the goals in their first match of the competition against defending champions New Zealand.
“We are learning our lessons one day after another and I am happy we had some improvements against Australia. It is our first time and so we take every lesson positively. We hope to improve even more in our last game,” said Jackie Jow, the Blades head coach.
They face Scotland in their last match of the competition on Friday and the team hopes to do better and finish off on a high.
Dominant display from Australia
Kenya’s Gilly Okumu in action
Against Australia, it was another dominant performance from the opponents where the Blades failed to register even a single shot on target and struggled to break into the opposition arc.
Captain Kaitlin Nobbs scored a hatrick, Shanea Tonkin scored twice while teen Claire Colwill, Stephanie Kershaw and Grace Stewart sounded the board once each.
Nobbs scored the first of her three with a tap into an empty goalmouth in the third minute, picking up a cutback from Mariah Williams whose drive on the left took away three Kenyan defenders and the keeper.
They doubled their tally less than a minute later, Tonkin deflecting the ball home after Maddy Fitzpatrick’s drag into the arc evaded all of Kenya defenders.
The Australian ladies completed the opening half with a 4-0 lead when Nobbs added her second from the penalty spot after a goalbound effort hit a Kenyan defender on her body. Kershaw then added a fourth from a recycled penalty corner.
Kenyan girls tighten defensively
Action for Kenya against New Zealand. PHOTO/Team Kenya
The Kenyan girls were tighter in defending in the second half, putting up better shape and better defensive discipline. They were only breached once, Polwill’s drag-flick from a short corner flying to the net.
In the third quarter, Tonkin completed her brace with a well pushed finish at the keeper’s near post before Stewart deflected Renee Taylor’s dragflick from a short corner.
Blades changed keepers in the last quarter of the game, Millicent Adhiambo coming on for Quinter Okore. Adhiambo was the difference for Kenya as she made save after save, but was ultimately breached at the stroke of fulltime when skipper Nobbs completed her hattrick with a penalty.
Meanwhile in other sports, all Kenyan swimmers failed to make it beyond their respective individual events. In boxing, Team Kenya captain Nick Okoth’s hopes of battling for an elusive Commonwealth medal went up in smoke after losing by unanimous decision to Allicock Kevin of Guyana in the featherweight category.
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