Rivers, Delta Go For Hockey Gold, Today

It will be another direct contest for gold medal between Team Rivers and their Delta state rivals as both states clash in the final match of the female hockey event. Rivers team yesterday defeated Kaduna team 2-1 in a highly exciting semi final match, while Delta stopped hosts, Lagos 1-0 in the second semi final match at the National Stadium hockey pitch.

Now, the Rivers team is looking forward to stopping Delta from adding to their gold medal kitty and improve on the state’s haul. Expectations are that it will be tough and exciting.

Team Rivers will be banking on its determination to secure the ultimate medal and all eyes will be on keeper Glory Brown, the team’s heroine in the quarter final penalty shootout victory over Plateau state to keep out Delta attackers , today. She was also in a scintillating form against Kaduna yesterday.

Already, Chairman of Rivers State Hockey Association, Omi Brown has expressed confidence that his team would return with the gold medal in the competition. He said that the team ranks among the best in the competition and having trained well would overcome the final hurdle to their dream today.

He, however, called on their fans and supporters to continue to pray for the team’s success.

The chairman, who is also the Director, Technical of Nigeria Hockey Federation observed that the standard of competition and games at the festival have been very high. He said that the future of the game in the country is very high following the discovery of young and talented players at the ongoing sports festival, Eko 2012.