Who Wins 2018 African Hockey Clubs Championship?

Who Wins 2018 African Hockey Clubs Championship?

Defending Club Champions of Africa, Eastern Company Club of Egypt arrived in a well motivated mood ahead of the competition with a team of 17 players and 8 officials. The players who are not used to the hot temperature trained with their bare chest saying they have to put in more energy in order to play up to standard.

Club’s Forward and Egypt international Hakim Ahmed congratulated all clubs for making it to the competition.

He noted that their focus is to come and go home with the trophy after winning two years in succession. “We respect all teams and know we will have a tough opposition in Trustees and Sharkia but our aim is to go for gold… Sharkia beat us in Egypt during our National league and we will pay them back here in Ghana”, he said.

Hakim praised the Local Organising committee for putting things in place for the tournamenr. He said ” We have been received well in Ghana and the people are very nice to us… aside the weather, we are okay with everything”..

Eastern Company Club of Egypt after years of playing in the competition made a mark in 2015 when they beat record title holders El Sharkia in the final. The club have since then won two gold medals in the competiton; 2015 and 2016 with a 3rd time in mind. With Sharkia and Kenya Police all tasting defeat in previous final to Eastern Company, who can stop the defending champions this year ? The 29th edition of the Africa Cup for Club Champions comes off this weekend in Accra, Ghana.

Head coach of Telkom hockey club, Jos Openda says his team is confident of defending the trophy they won last year on home soil. The team arrived in Ghana yesterday ahead of the Africa Cup for Club.

Coach Jos said the tournament has been interesting over the years and they are here to compete again. “We are up to task and here to play with no injury concerns. You are going to see a new brand of Telkom Kenya due to a change in name. We are here as a new team to start another streak after Telkom Orange won five years in a row”, he said.

On defending the trophy, Jos said “we are ready, we are prepared and let’s see what happens on the pitch. We are very determined looking at our preparations back in Kenya and the mark we have set on the continent. We are here to make it six consecutive championships and nothing else”.

Coach Jos said “All clubs are preparing for us since we are the defending champions. Every team before a competition seeks to beat the champions and this is not different but we are ready for them”.

He sent a message to all clubs telling them to watch out because Telkom kenya is here to win the trophy.

Telkom Kenya hockey club formerly known as Telkom Orange has won the championship for the last five years. The Kenyan champions have won 10 out of the 19 editions of the Africa Cup for Club Champions (Female category) with their last victory coming last year in Kenya.

Telkom Kenya play Yobe Dessert Queens of Nigeria in their first game on Saturday 20th January, 2018.

Niger Flickers hockey club arrived in Ghana on Sunday night ahead of the Africa Cup for Club Champions. The 21 man contingent made up of 18 players and 3 officials were present at the Theodosia Okoh Hockey picth yesterday to train and assess the turf

Coach Nuhu expressed delight in the team’s preparation ahead of this year’s competition and the government’s aid, motivation and sponsorship package.

He said,” this is our 7th time playing at the ACCC. We are poised going past our best ever place which is a bronze medal in Zambia 2015. Our performance last year was a result of bad management and things have been put in place for a better place this time….. we have no idea about our opponents but we are here to beat any team that comes around and win the ultimate, he said.

he thanked the Africa Hockey Federation for organising the competition. He was happy with the whole setup and organisation saying it gives an opportunity to players to improve. He further urged other countries to allow their clubs to participate.

Niger Flickers hockey club was established in 1979 and based in Niger state. They have won the Nigeria hockey super league five times in a row but have failed to reciprocate this in Africa. The club made their first appearance at the ACCC in 2011 and has played in all editions till date with the exception of Uganda 2014. Bronze medal in Zambia 2015 is their best ever place in all six editions they’ve featured.

The men’s category are GRA Hockey Team of Ghana Revenue Authority, Trustees Hockey Team of SSNIT both from Ghana, with Eastern Company Club, who are the defending champions and El Sharkia Club both from Egypt, with Nigerian clubs Niger Flickers Hockey Club and Police Machine Hockey Club.

The Women’s category have two clubs from Ghana GRA Hockey Team of Ghana Revenue Authority and Police Hockey Club, with Telkom Hockey Club as defending champions from Kenya and Strathmore Hockey Club also from Kenya, as KADA Queens Hockey Club and Yobe Desert Queens Hockey Club from Nigeria complete the list.