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Ellina Mhlanga

Senior Sports Reporter

ZIMBABWE’S senior women hockey side was left dejected after they lost 1-3 to Kenya in a penalty shootout in the bronze medal match at the Africa Cup of Nations in Ghana yesterday.

The match had to be decided by a shootout following a goalless draw at the end of the normal game time at Theodosia Okoh Hockey Stadium in Accra.

It was a painful defeat for Zimbabwe who created several chances during the match. Their biggest let down was the failure to convert the opportunities that came their way.

The handicap continued in the shootout where Tinodiwanashe Elijah was the only player to convert from the spot.

Kenya also had their fair share of opportunities and they also failed to score, especially in the last quarter which they dominated.

The two sides were meeting in the Africa Cup of Nations for the first.

Coach Patricia Davies could not hide her disappointment as she believes the team could have done better in yesterday’s match.

“A little bit disappointed. It wasn’t as good as (we hoped for). I mean our girls can play better than that… it wasn’t good hockey both sides. It was just that someone had to win.

“Score when you get the opportunities, definitely, because we had opportunities, we were not converting,” said Davies.

Despite missing out on a medal, Zimbabwe would take comfort in the fact that after 24 years, they managed to reach this stage. The senior women’s team last played in the semi-finals at the Africa Cup of Nations in 1998.

Zimbabwe pulled through to the semi-finals after finishing second in Pool A behind South Africa. They beat Uganda 5-0 and then managed a 1-1 draw against Namibia, to book their place in the last four.

Zimbabwe had a superior goal difference over Namibia, who also had four points after beating Uganda.

However, Zimbabwe lost to hosts Ghana 1-2 in the semi-finals on Friday and were hoping for a bronze medal in yesterday’s match. However, things didn’t go their way.

Captain Mary Houghton said it was disappointing they could not get the podium finish they were targeting.

She noted that with a number of young players in the team, there is hope for the future, for Zimbabwe.

“Obviously we are very disappointed but I could never ask for more from my girls out there. They gave everything we had and Kenya obviously took it on the line.

“It was a very close match, it could have gone either way and we gave our all and sadly didn’t end up on top.

“We have got a very young team, so you can expect a lot from them in the future,” said Houghton.The youngest player in the team is 16-year-old Tinodiwanashe Elijah.

In Friday’s match, Zimbabwe were the first to score through Alexi Terblanche before Ghana’s Nafisatu Umaru levelled the score for her side.

The hosts then got a late winner through Elizabeth Opoku to advance to the final and they were set to take on South Africa late yesterday.

South Africa beat Kenya 4-0 to secure their place in the final.