Grace Bwire’s solitary strike was enough to seal a hard-fought 1-0 victory for Kenya’s national women’s hockey team, recently rebranded as the Blades (formerly Tausi), as they edged out Nigeria to claim bronze in the third-place playoff at the Africa Cup of Nations (ACN) in Ismailia, Egypt.
The attacking midfielder from Strathmore broke the deadlock just one minute into the final quarter with a superbly taken field goal—ultimately the match-winner.
The game began cautiously, with both teams adopting defensive approaches that resulted in a goalless first half.
The intensity escalated throughout the match, leading to suspensions for unsporting behaviour: Nigeria’s Faith Obukowho in the first quarter, and Kenya’s Grace Akumu in the third.
Kenya’s path to the podium was paved by an impressive group-stage performance, where they notched two wins, one draw, and just one loss in the six-nation tournament.
On the men’s side, Kenya’s Chui settled for fourth place after a 3-1 loss to Nigeria in their bronze playoff.
Nigeria’s Samaila James struck twice from penalty corners, while Solomon Dennis added a field goal. Satcliffe Usagi netted Kenya’s lone goal, offering a late consolation.
Despite facing stiff competition, Chui managed two victories in their campaign.
South Africa once again asserted their dominance in African hockey, clinching both the men’s and women’s titles to secure World Cup qualification. The women’s team won an eighth consecutive title with a commanding 4-0 win over Ghana, while the men dismantled hosts Egypt 5-1 in the final.
Zambia and Egypt finished at the bottom of the standings in both the men’s and women’s categories as the eight-day continental event concluded in Ismailia.
