HIPPO Hockey Club coach Tongai Mukwewa says he is confident that his side will take the third spot in the Men’s Hockey Africa Cup of Clubs Championships at Khumalo Hockey Stadium tomorrow.
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The Zimbabwe outfit has failed to qualify for the final which seems likely to be between defending champions Sharkia of Egypt and Ghana’s Trustees.
Hippo look set to play in the third and fourth place play-offs against Golden Sticks of Ghana who were due to play unbeaten Sharkia late yesterday.
“Our chances are good considering that we are likely to play against Golden Sticks, the team that we had an opportunity to beat earlier on. Most of our players have matured since that game,” Mukwewa said.
Hippo have had a good run in the tournament having recorded two wins, beating fellow Zimbabweans Hullets 2-1 and Yobe Warriors of Nigeria 3-0. They lost the other two games to Golden Sticks and Sharkia.
Mukwewa expressed disappointment in the club missing out on a chance to be in the final as the hosts of the tournament. “It’s a bitter pill to swallow that we will not be playing in the final considering that a victory against Golden Sticks would have seen us through,” he said.
Mukwewa also said that he was impressed with the way Hippo has played so far in the tournament taking into account that it was the first time for most of his players to be playing at this level of competition.
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“The team has been performing well although we have had disappointing games such as our loss to Golden Sticks due to failure to convert our chances and the defeat to the Egyptians because of technical glitches,” Mukwewa said.
Some of the outstanding players at Hippo were midfielder Tendai Maredza and defender Michael McKillop, who also coaches BAC women.
In other games played on Wednesday, Bulawayo Athletic Club lost 4-1 to Telkom Ladies of Kenya, while in the men’s section Trustees walloped Zimbabwe Hullets 9-0 and Hippo crushed Yobe Warriors 3-0.
Today: 10:00 Reformers v Telkom Ladies 12:00 Heartland Queens v Strathmore University 14:00 BAC v Custom Ladies 16:00 Sharkia v Hullets 18:00 Trustees v Hippo
