Delta Queens hockey team are through to the semi finals after a hard-fought 4-1 win over the Yobe Desert Queens at the ongoing 2023 Nigeria Hockey Federation (NHF) Super League to record their fourth win in the competition.
The match was played at the hockey Astro Turf of the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja on Wednesday.
Delta Queens started strong at the onset, boasting of more ball possession as they looked for the long balls, attempting to pin the opposition back.
Delta’s have won three matches while Yobe Deserts Queens have won two matches and lost one.
Beauty Irame missed two clear goal-scoring chances in the ninth minutes as the Delta Queens pressed for the opening goal.
Still, the Yobe Desert Queens defense did well to repel the attacks, though struggling to keep a hold of it.
Roseline Ovoh opened scoring against the run of play through field goal
in the 28th minute following a brilliant cross from the left.
Comfort Obera, however, got the equalizer for Yobe Deserts Queens barely six minutes later after a brilliant finish into the far-right following good work from Deborah Saleh and Ajuma Ejegwa through a penalty corner.
There was no much luck for Deborah Jacobs of Yobe Desert Queens in spite of how much her teammates kept looking for her with long balls.
Ovoh gained more control of the match as she added to her goals in the 44th , 56th and 59th minute through field goals and penalty corner.
The Delta Queens looked more solid as they kept the ball nicely with the defense, leaving little or no space for the Yobe Desert Queens ’ counter-attacks as the game ended 4-1.
After the match, Adeoye Jacobs, the head coach of Delta Queens, praised his team for wonderful display by the girls, I’m proud of them, a job well done.
“ We are the defending champions and we don’t want to take any chances; we are in the crucial stage and we want to ensure that we lift the trophy at the end of the competition,” he said.
Ejegwa Bethel, Captain of Yobe Deserts Queens, said “today my team lost the match, we still have hope.
“We are second on our group A pool but I believe that we will still clinch to the final in the competition and lift the trophy.
“Me and my team mates will go back and work on our mistakes ahead of our next match on Friday, ” she said.
Delta Queens will now take on Plateau Queens on Friday, while Kada Queens will take on Yobe Desert Queens also on Friday in the semifinals match.
In other games played in the women’s
category, Edo State hockey team drew IGP Babes 0-0.
In the men’s category, Plateau Tigers drew IGP Flickers 0-0, South West lost to Kada stars 0-9, Stallions of Lagos State beat Adamawa hockey team 7-0,
Yobe Desert Rollers beat Niger Flickers 2-1 and Police Machine beat Delta Force 2-0.
Twenty teams are participating in the Super League, with nine of them in the women’s category and 11 in the men’s category.
The competition which began on Saturday, is expected to end on Saturday.
