Tigoi Girls’ hockey tactician Moses Erima has noted that their 1-0 loss to defending champions Nyamira Girls’ on Wednesday has given his players a crucial experience that will catapult them to this year’s KSSSA national finals.
"Facing off against Nyamira was tough, but the girls gained invaluable experience. With their current form, I believe we're destined for the finals," Erima affirmed.
Determined to bounce back, Tigoi showcased their resilience with an impressive 9-0 victory over former champions Pangani on Thursday, securing a spot in the semifinals.
Reflecting on the crucial win, Erima emphasised the team's mental strength and strategic adjustments.
"After yesterday's setback, winning today feels fantastic. We regrouped, strategised, and approached today's match with a must-win mentality," he remarked.
Highlighting the team's improvement, Erima praised the girls for their focused and disciplined performance.
"The complacency is gone. Today, the girls displayed calmness and composure, giving us the edge over our opponents," he noted.
Erima was quick to note that his players were prepared for any challenge awaiting them in the semis.
“We are prepared for any team we face next in the semis. We are going for nothing short of a win,” Erima quipped.
In their journey, Tigoi triumphed over AIC Nyayo 2-0 in their opening match before they clashed with Nyamira.
Meanwhile, Nyamira's head coach Eliakim Obondo expressed confidence in defending their title following a hard-fought 1-0 victory over AIC Nyayo.
"Today's win sends a clear message that we're here to defend our title. We executed our game plan effectively," the coach asserted.
Analysing their tactics, the coach highlighted Nyayo's similar style of play but emphasised their superiority in flank attacks, which secured their victory.
“Nyayo are very good at dribbling and ball handling. Their mode of play resembles ours. We have, however, perfected our skills and that gave us the edge today.”
He added: “We beat them with our flank attacks. They have very good stoppers in the middle, so we chose to use the flanks to overcome them,” the tactician added.
Nyamira opened their campaign with a 4-0 win over Pangani on Tuesday before beating Tigoi on Wednesday.
Having gone unbeaten since the start of the pool matches, the tactician attributed the girls' strict adherence to his instruction as their source of strength.
“The players have adhered strictly to the instructions. We beat Pangani in the opener despite them being heavyweights."
In other matches played on Thursday, defending champions Musingu Boys beat Murang’a High 3-0 in Pool ‘B’ to proceed to the semis while last year's runners-up St Anthony Kitale thrashed Katangi 6-0 to secure a spot in the semis.
St Charles Lwanga beat Meru School 1-0 in Pool 'A' to book a spot in the semis. Nairobi School played to a barren draw with Ringa Boys but progressed to the semis by having won more matches than Ringa.
Tigoi will face off against last year’s bronze medallists St Joseph’s Kitale with Nyamira Girls going toe-to-toe with Mpesa Academy in the girls' semifinals.
St Charles Lwanga face Musingu while St Anthony's take on Nairobi School in the boys’ semifinals.
SEMIFINALS
Boys Hockey
St Charles Lwanga vs Musingu
St Anthony Kitale vs Nairobi School
Girls' Hockey
Nyamira vs Mpesa Academy
St Joseph's Kitale vs Tigoi Girls'
![[PHOTOS] OCS Samson Talam’s day in court](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.radioafrica.digital%2Fimage%2F2025%2F06%2F458bc8b8-2cb6-4276-84d0-8f30cf301f52.jpg&w=3840&q=100)
